Kalamazoo County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.8 | 262,215 people · 66th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Kalamazoo County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.8 — 2096th 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 66th of 83 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Kalamazoo County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 72.9 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 72.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Debt & Delinquency 50.4
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 60
Student Loan Delinquency 36
Auto Loan Delinquency 56
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Employment & Wages 42.8
Unemployment Rate 64
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 15
Business Formation Rate 50
Income & Poverty 34.6
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 33
Community Vulnerability 18.2
Uninsured Rate 18
Disability Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Kalamazoo County
Kalamazoo County, MI 43.8 Normal —
Calhoun County, MI 56.9 Elevated +13.1
Branch County, MI 53.6 Elevated +9.8
St. Joseph County, MI 49.0 Normal +5.2
Van Buren County, MI 48.3 Normal +4.5
Cass County, MI 46.6 Normal +2.8
Barry County, MI 38.6 Normal -5.2
Allegan County, MI 32.6 Healthy -11.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Kalamazoo County
Allen County, IN 43.8 Normal -0.0
Butler County, OH 43.9 Normal +0.1
Macomb County, MI 43.9 Normal +0.1
Middlesex County, NJ 43.5 Normal -0.3
Madison County, IL 44.2 Normal +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kalamazoo County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Kalamazoo County.

KALAMAZOO NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES, INC
Kalamazoo
269-385-2916 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo County, Michigan?

    Kalamazoo County has a County Distress Index score of 43.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,096th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 66th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kalamazoo County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kalamazoo County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 72.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Kalamazoo County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kalamazoo County (43.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, MI (56.9); Branch County, MI (53.6); St. Joseph County, MI (49.0).

  • 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 Kalamazoo County?

    Kalamazoo County, Michigan has a population of approximately 262,215 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.