Ingham County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.2 | 284,637 people · 53rd most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Ingham County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.2 — 1729th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Michigan, it ranks 53rd of 83 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Ingham County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 85.0 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 85.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 91
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Debt & Delinquency 50.3
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 38
Student Loan Delinquency 39
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Income & Poverty 50.2
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 44
Employment & Wages 33.2
Unemployment Rate 72
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Business Formation Rate 5
Community Vulnerability 22.3
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Ingham County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Ingham County
Ingham County, MI 48.2 Normal —
Jackson County, MI 52.1 Elevated +3.8
Shiawassee County, MI 49.6 Normal +1.4
Eaton County, MI 40.8 Normal -7.4
Clinton County, MI 29.1 Healthy -19.1
Livingston County, MI 25.3 Healthy -22.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Ingham County
Multnomah County, OR 48.3 Normal +0.1
Hamilton County, OH 48.3 Normal +0.1
Cleveland County, OK 48.1 Normal -0.1
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT 48.5 Normal +0.3
Monroe County, NY 47.9 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ingham County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Ingham County.

CAPITAL AREA HOUSING PARTNERSHIP
Lansing
517-332-4663 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICES
East Lansing
586-469-7610
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
TELAMON CORPORATION - HOLLAND BRANCH
Lansing
984-365-6571 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Ingham 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 Ingham County, Michigan?

    Ingham County has a County Distress Index score of 48.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,729th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ingham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ingham County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 85.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Ingham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ingham County (48.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jackson County, MI (52.1); Shiawassee County, MI (49.6); Eaton County, MI (40.8).

  • 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 Ingham County?

    Ingham County, Michigan has a population of approximately 284,637 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.