Kent County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.7 | 661,354 people · 73rd most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Kent County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.7 — 2500th 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 73rd 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. Kent County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 71.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 71.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Employment & Wages 52.0
Unemployment Rate 55
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 23
Debt & Delinquency 32.9
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 35
Student Loan Delinquency 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36
Income & Poverty 19.6
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 25
Community Vulnerability 12.3
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Kent County
Kent County, MI 37.7 Normal —
Montcalm County, MI 53.6 Elevated +15.9
Muskegon County, MI 53.3 Elevated +15.6
Newaygo County, MI 50.3 Elevated +12.6
Ionia County, MI 49.5 Normal +11.8
Barry County, MI 38.6 Normal +0.9
Allegan County, MI 32.6 Healthy -5.1
Ottawa County, MI 31.8 Healthy -6.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Kent County
Cherokee County, GA 37.8 Normal +0.1
Honolulu County, HI 37.9 Normal +0.1
Hillsborough County, NH 38.1 Normal +0.4
Chesterfield County, VA 38.1 Normal +0.4
Clay County, MO 38.1 Normal +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kent County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Kent County.

GRAND RAPIDS URBAN LEAGUE DBA Urban League of West Michigan
Grand Rapids
616-245-2207 Website
Foreclosure PreventionHomeless/DisplacementRental Help
HOME REPAIR SERVICES OF KENT COUNTY
Grand Rapids
616-241-2601 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
ICCF COMMUNITY HOMES
Grand Rapids
616-336-9333 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION- GRAND RAPIDS KENT COUNTY
GRAND RAPIDS
616-632-7874
Financial CounselingHomebuyer Education

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 Kent 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 Kent County, Michigan?

    Kent County has a County Distress Index score of 37.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,500th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 73rd in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kent County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kent County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 71.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Kent County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kent County (37.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Montcalm County, MI (53.6); Muskegon County, MI (53.3); Newaygo County, MI (50.3).

  • 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 Kent County?

    Kent County, Michigan has a population of approximately 661,354 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.