Montcalm County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.6 | 68,154 people · 25th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Montcalm County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.6 — 1323rd 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 25th 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. Montcalm County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 81.9 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 81.9
Unemployment Rate 76
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 88
Community Vulnerability 53.0
Uninsured Rate 55
Disability Rate 51
Housing Cost Burden 46.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 71
Homeownership Rate 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Income & Poverty 45.9
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 53
Debt & Delinquency 40.2
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 34
Student Loan Delinquency 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 37
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 Montcalm County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Montcalm County
Montcalm County, MI 53.6 Elevated —
Isabella County, MI 61.5 Elevated +7.9
Mecosta County, MI 60.9 Elevated +7.4
Gratiot County, MI 50.4 Elevated -3.2
Newaygo County, MI 50.3 Elevated -3.2
Ionia County, MI 49.5 Normal -4.1
Kent County, MI 37.7 Normal -15.9
Clinton County, MI 29.1 Healthy -24.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Montcalm County
Indiana County, PA 53.6 Elevated 0.0
Anderson County, SC 53.6 Elevated 0.0
Vermilion Parish, LA 53.6 Elevated -0.0
Penobscot County, ME 53.5 Elevated -0.0
Washington County, MD 53.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montcalm 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 Montcalm 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 Montcalm County, Michigan?

    Montcalm County has a County Distress Index score of 53.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,323rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montcalm County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montcalm County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 81.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Montcalm County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montcalm County (53.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Isabella County, MI (61.5); Mecosta County, MI (60.9); Gratiot County, MI (50.4).

  • 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 Montcalm County?

    Montcalm County, Michigan has a population of approximately 68,154 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.