Saginaw County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.2 | 187,782 people · 15th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Saginaw County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.2 — 890th 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 15th 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. Saginaw County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 70.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 70.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 49
Homeownership Rate 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Income & Poverty 65.4
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 72
Debt & Delinquency 64.0
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 53
Student Loan Delinquency 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Employment & Wages 58.7
Unemployment Rate 92
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Business Formation Rate 52
Community Vulnerability 37.6
Uninsured Rate 9
Disability Rate 66

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Saginaw County
Saginaw County, MI 59.2 Elevated —
Genesee County, MI 61.2 Elevated +2.0
Gratiot County, MI 50.4 Elevated -8.9
Tuscola County, MI 50.3 Elevated -8.9
Shiawassee County, MI 49.6 Normal -9.6
Bay County, MI 48.2 Normal -11.0
Midland County, MI 36.4 Normal -22.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Saginaw County
Wicomico County, MD 59.3 Elevated +0.1
Madison County, IN 59.3 Elevated +0.1
Rusk County, TX 59.1 Elevated -0.1
Grays Harbor County, WA 59.4 Elevated +0.2
Payne County, OK 59.0 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Saginaw 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 Saginaw 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 Saginaw County, Michigan?

    Saginaw County has a County Distress Index score of 59.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 890th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 15th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Saginaw County?

    The primary driver of distress in Saginaw County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 70.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Saginaw County compare to neighboring counties?

    Saginaw County (59.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Genesee County, MI (61.2); Gratiot County, MI (50.4); Tuscola 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 Saginaw County?

    Saginaw County, Michigan has a population of approximately 187,782 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.