Muskegon County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.3 | 176,564 people · 27th most distressed in Michigan
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Muskegon County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.3 — 1351st 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 27th of 83 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Muskegon County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 70.0 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 70.0
Unemployment Rate 83
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 57
Housing Cost Burden 66.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Debt & Delinquency 56.1
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 28
Student Loan Delinquency 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 45
Income & Poverty 47.3
Poverty Rate 54
Income vs. State Median 46
Child Poverty Rate 42
Community Vulnerability 26.1
Uninsured Rate 15
Disability Rate 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Muskegon County
Muskegon County, MI 53.3 Elevated —
Milwaukee County, WI 58.2 Elevated +4.9
Newaygo County, MI 50.3 Elevated -2.9
Oceana County, MI 48.7 Normal -4.6
Kent County, MI 37.7 Normal -15.6
Ottawa County, MI 31.8 Healthy -21.5
Ozaukee County, WI 21.8 Healthy -31.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Muskegon County
Tuscarawas County, OH 53.3 Elevated +0.0
Monroe County, PA 53.3 Elevated -0.0
Houston County, AL 53.4 Elevated +0.1
Clinton County, NY 53.2 Elevated -0.1
Washington County, OK 53.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Muskegon 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 Muskegon 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 Muskegon County, Michigan?

    Muskegon County has a County Distress Index score of 53.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,351st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Muskegon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Muskegon County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 70.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Muskegon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Muskegon County (53.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Milwaukee County, WI (58.2); Newaygo County, MI (50.3); Oceana 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 Muskegon County?

    Muskegon County, Michigan has a population of approximately 176,564 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.