Tuscola County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.3 | 52,826 people · 40th most distressed in Michigan
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Tuscola County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.3 — 1573rd 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 40th of 83 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Tuscola County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 69.0 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 69.0
Unemployment Rate 89
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 87
Income & Poverty 50.3
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 60
Debt & Delinquency 48.6
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 59
Student Loan Delinquency 45
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Community Vulnerability 46.7
Uninsured Rate 15
Disability Rate 78
Housing Cost Burden 37.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 3
Rent-to-Income Ratio 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Tuscola County
Tuscola County, MI 50.3 Elevated —
Genesee County, MI 61.2 Elevated +10.9
Saginaw County, MI 59.2 Elevated +8.9
Sanilac County, MI 52.5 Elevated +2.2
Lapeer County, MI 48.4 Normal -1.9
Bay County, MI 48.2 Normal -2.1
Huron County, MI 43.8 Normal -6.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Tuscola County
Newaygo County, MI 50.3 Elevated +0.0
Hawaii County, HI 50.4 Elevated +0.1
Cullman County, AL 50.4 Elevated +0.1
Faulkner County, AR 50.2 Elevated -0.1
Columbia County, OR 50.4 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Tuscola 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 Tuscola 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 Tuscola County, Michigan?

    Tuscola County has a County Distress Index score of 50.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,573rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Tuscola County?

    The primary driver of distress in Tuscola County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 69.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Tuscola County compare to neighboring counties?

    Tuscola County (50.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Genesee County, MI (61.2); Saginaw County, MI (59.2); Sanilac County, MI (52.5).

  • 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 Tuscola County?

    Tuscola County, Michigan has a population of approximately 52,826 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.