Mason County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.7 | 29,159 people · 48th most distressed in Michigan
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Mason County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.7 — 1698th 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 48th of 83 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Mason County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 69.4 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 69.4
Unemployment Rate 94
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 60
Income & Poverty 60.0
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 67
Housing Cost Burden 46.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Community Vulnerability 43.8
Uninsured Rate 30
Disability Rate 58
Debt & Delinquency 23.8
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 36
Student Loan Delinquency 3
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Mason County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Mason County
Mason County, MI 48.7 Normal —
Lake County, MI 69.2 Serious +20.6
Manistee County, MI 53.0 Elevated +4.3
Newaygo County, MI 50.3 Elevated +1.7
Oceana County, MI 48.7 Normal +0.1
Manitowoc County, WI 28.3 Healthy -20.3
Sheboygan County, WI 27.5 Healthy -21.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Mason County
Oceana County, MI 48.7 Normal +0.1
Sullivan County, NH 48.7 Normal +0.1
Menominee County, MI 48.5 Normal -0.1
Boyle County, KY 48.8 Normal +0.1
Marion County, KY 48.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason County, Michigan?

    Mason County has a County Distress Index score of 48.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,698th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mason County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mason County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 69.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Mason County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mason County (48.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Lake County, MI (69.2); Manistee County, MI (53.0); 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 Mason County?

    Mason County, Michigan has a population of approximately 29,159 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.