Kalkaska County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.2 | 18,490 people · 22nd most distressed in Michigan
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Kalkaska County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.2 — 1272nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Michigan, it ranks 22nd 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. Kalkaska County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 57.6 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 57.6
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 33
Student Loan Delinquency 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 52
Income & Poverty 55.4
Poverty Rate 54
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 63
Community Vulnerability 54.6
Uninsured Rate 39
Disability Rate 70
Employment & Wages 52.1
Unemployment Rate 91
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Business Formation Rate 59
Housing Cost Burden 51.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Kalkaska County
Kalkaska County, MI 54.2 Elevated —
Roscommon County, MI 61.7 Elevated +7.6
Crawford County, MI 56.0 Elevated +1.9
Wexford County, MI 53.4 Elevated -0.7
Missaukee County, MI 48.8 Normal -5.4
Otsego County, MI 46.5 Normal -7.7
Antrim County, MI 37.9 Normal -16.3
Grand Traverse County, MI 30.9 Healthy -23.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Kalkaska County
Pettis County, MO 54.2 Elevated 0.0
Clay County, AL 54.2 Elevated +0.0
Madison County, NC 54.1 Elevated -0.0
Dale County, AL 54.2 Elevated +0.0
Douglas County, WA 54.2 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska County, Michigan?

    Kalkaska County has a County Distress Index score of 54.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,272nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kalkaska County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kalkaska County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 57.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Kalkaska County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kalkaska County (54.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Roscommon County, MI (61.7); Crawford County, MI (56.0); Wexford County, MI (53.4).

  • 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 Kalkaska County?

    Kalkaska County, Michigan has a population of approximately 18,490 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.