Macomb County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.9 | 875,101 people · 65th most distressed in Michigan
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Macomb County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.9 — 2081st 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 65th of 83 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Macomb County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 71.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 71.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Debt & Delinquency 55.0
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 40
Student Loan Delinquency 45
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 50
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Employment & Wages 44.0
Unemployment Rate 74
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 19
Community Vulnerability 24.9
Uninsured Rate 18
Disability Rate 32
Income & Poverty 24.1
Poverty Rate 25
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Macomb County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Macomb County
Macomb County, MI 43.9 Normal —
Wayne County, MI 65.1 Serious +21.1
St. Clair County, MI 51.9 Elevated +7.9
Lapeer County, MI 48.4 Normal +4.5
Oakland County, MI 28.5 Healthy -15.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Macomb County
Butler County, OH 43.9 Normal -0.1
Kalamazoo County, MI 43.8 Normal -0.1
Allen County, IN 43.8 Normal -0.2
Madison County, IL 44.2 Normal +0.2
Middlesex County, NJ 43.5 Normal -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Macomb County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Macomb County.

MSUE- MACOMB COUNTY (CLINTON TOWNSHIP)
CLINTON TWP
586-469-7609 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
MSUE- MACOMB COUNTY (WARREN)
WARREN
586-469-7609 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 Macomb 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 Macomb County, Michigan?

    Macomb County has a County Distress Index score of 43.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,081st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 65th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Macomb County?

    The primary driver of distress in Macomb County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 71.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Macomb County compare to neighboring counties?

    Macomb County (43.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Wayne County, MI (65.1); St. Clair County, MI (51.9); Lapeer County, MI (48.4).

  • 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 Macomb County?

    Macomb County, Michigan has a population of approximately 875,101 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.