Jackson County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.1 | 159,424 people · 34th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Jackson County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.1 — 1452nd 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 34th of 83 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Jackson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 67.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 67.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 74
Homeownership Rate 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Debt & Delinquency 61.3
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 71
Student Loan Delinquency 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Employment & Wages 57.1
Unemployment Rate 80
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Business Formation Rate 65
Income & Poverty 47.6
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 56
Community Vulnerability 26.6
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Jackson County
Jackson County, MI 52.1 Elevated —
Calhoun County, MI 56.9 Elevated +4.8
Hillsdale County, MI 52.5 Elevated +0.4
Ingham County, MI 48.2 Normal -3.8
Lenawee County, MI 47.7 Normal -4.4
Eaton County, MI 40.8 Normal -11.3
Washtenaw County, MI 39.3 Normal -12.7
Livingston County, MI 25.3 Healthy -26.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Jackson County
Berkshire County, MA 52.1 Elevated +0.0
Ellis County, TX 52.1 Elevated +0.1
Erie County, OH 52.0 Elevated -0.1
Pike County, PA 52.2 Elevated +0.1
Cambria County, PA 52.2 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Jackson County.

COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY
Jackson
517-784-4800 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement

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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 Jackson 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 Jackson County, Michigan?

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 52.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,452nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 67.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (52.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, MI (56.9); Hillsdale County, MI (52.5); Ingham County, MI (48.2).

  • 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, Michigan has a population of approximately 159,424 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.