Gratiot County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.4 | 41,368 people · 38th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Gratiot County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.4 — 1569th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Michigan, it ranks 38th of 83 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Gratiot County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 66.2 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 66.2
Unemployment Rate 88
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 15
Business Formation Rate 95
Income & Poverty 59.6
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 51
Child Poverty Rate 58
Housing Cost Burden 52.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 24
Rent-to-Income Ratio 32
Debt & Delinquency 40.8
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 46
Student Loan Delinquency 40
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 21
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Community Vulnerability 32.5
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Gratiot County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Gratiot County
Gratiot County, MI 50.4 Elevated —
Isabella County, MI 61.5 Elevated +11.1
Saginaw County, MI 59.2 Elevated +8.9
Montcalm County, MI 53.6 Elevated +3.2
Shiawassee County, MI 49.6 Normal -0.8
Ionia County, MI 49.5 Normal -0.9
Midland County, MI 36.4 Normal -14.0
Clinton County, MI 29.1 Healthy -21.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Gratiot County
Kent County, MD 50.4 Elevated +0.0
Phelps County, MO 50.4 Elevated +0.0
Ashe County, NC 50.4 Elevated +0.0
Orleans County, VT 50.4 Elevated +0.1
Garrard County, KY 50.3 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gratiot County

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 Gratiot 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Gratiot County has a County Distress Index score of 50.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,569th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gratiot County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gratiot County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 66.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Gratiot County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gratiot County (50.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Isabella County, MI (61.5); Saginaw County, MI (59.2); Montcalm County, MI (53.6).

  • 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 Gratiot County?

    Gratiot County, Michigan has a population of approximately 41,368 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.