Manistee County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.0 | 25,562 people · 29th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Manistee County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.0 — 1375th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Michigan, it ranks 29th 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. Manistee County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 72.4 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 72.4
Unemployment Rate 94
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 77
Income & Poverty 60.0
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 63
Child Poverty Rate 63
Housing Cost Burden 56.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 2
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Community Vulnerability 43.5
Uninsured Rate 10
Disability Rate 77
Debt & Delinquency 32.5
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 33
Student Loan Delinquency 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 42
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Manistee County
Manistee County, MI 53.0 Elevated —
Lake County, MI 69.2 Serious +16.3
Wexford County, MI 53.4 Elevated +0.5
Mason County, MI 48.7 Normal -4.3
Benzie County, MI 44.6 Normal -8.3
Grand Traverse County, MI 30.9 Healthy -22.1
Manitowoc County, WI 28.3 Healthy -24.6
Kewaunee County, WI 26.0 Healthy -27.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Manistee County
Carroll County, AR 53.0 Elevated -0.0
Alcona County, MI 53.0 Elevated +0.0
Benewah County, ID 52.9 Elevated -0.0
Williamsburg city, VA 52.9 Elevated -0.0
Crawford County, OH 53.0 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Manistee 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 Manistee 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 Manistee County, Michigan?

    Manistee County has a County Distress Index score of 53.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,375th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Manistee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Manistee County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 72.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Manistee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Manistee County (53.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Lake County, MI (69.2); Wexford County, MI (53.4); Mason County, MI (48.7).

  • 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 Manistee County?

    Manistee County, Michigan has a population of approximately 25,562 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.