Eaton County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.8 | 108,820 people · 69th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Eaton County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.8 — 2306th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Michigan, it ranks 69th of 83 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Eaton County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 59.5 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 59.5
Unemployment Rate 67
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 61
Housing Cost Burden 52.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Debt & Delinquency 43.4
Debt in Collections 37
Medical Debt 34
Student Loan Delinquency 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 29
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Community Vulnerability 29.7
Uninsured Rate 10
Disability Rate 49
Income & Poverty 18.9
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 19

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Eaton County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Eaton County
Eaton County, MI 40.8 Normal —
Calhoun County, MI 56.9 Elevated +16.1
Jackson County, MI 52.1 Elevated +11.3
Ionia County, MI 49.5 Normal +8.7
Ingham County, MI 48.2 Normal +7.4
Barry County, MI 38.6 Normal -2.2
Clinton County, MI 29.1 Healthy -11.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Eaton County
Campbell County, VA 40.8 Normal -0.0
Warren County, NJ 40.8 Normal +0.0
Culpeper County, VA 40.8 Normal +0.0
Monongalia County, WV 41.0 Normal +0.2
LaSalle County, IL 41.0 Normal +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Eaton County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Eaton County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Eaton County.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF MICHIGAN
Lansing
517-485-1006 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
HOUSING SERVICES MID MICHIGAN
Charlotte
517-541-1180
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFair HousingHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in Michigan →

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-968-0738

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Eaton County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid & Defender Association of Detroit 313-967-5555
Michigan Legal Help / Wolverine Legal Aid
Neighborhood Legal Services of Michigan 248-548-3838
Michigan Advocacy Program 616-774-0672
Legal Services of South Central Michigan 734-665-6181
Lakeshore Legal Aid (888) 783-8190
Legal Aid of Western Michigan (616) 774-0672
Legal Services of Eastern Michigan (800) 322-4512
Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Inc. (906) 786-2303

Self-Help Resources

Michigan Legal Help — Foreclosure Self-help guides and interactive tools for Michigan foreclosure process and defenses
MSHDA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs, counselor referrals, and MIHAF information

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Michigan →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Eaton County, Michigan?

    Eaton County has a County Distress Index score of 40.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,306th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 69th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Eaton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Eaton County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 59.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Eaton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Eaton County (40.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, MI (56.9); Jackson County, MI (52.1); Ionia County, MI (49.5).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Eaton County?

    Eaton County, Michigan has a population of approximately 108,820 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.