Van Buren County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.3 | 75,798 people · 51st most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Van Buren County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.2 — 1727th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Michigan, it ranks 51st of 83 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Van Buren County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 63.0 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 63.0
Unemployment Rate 87
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 64
Debt & Delinquency 50.5
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 71
Student Loan Delinquency 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 40
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 44
Housing Cost Burden 49.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 17
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Income & Poverty 46.9
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 52
Community Vulnerability 31.2
Uninsured Rate 44
Disability Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Van Buren County
Van Buren County, MI 48.3 Normal —
Berrien County, MI 50.1 Elevated +1.8
St. Joseph County, MI 49.0 Normal +0.7
Cass County, MI 46.6 Normal -1.6
Kalamazoo County, MI 43.8 Normal -4.5
Lake County, IL 34.6 Healthy -13.6
Allegan County, MI 32.6 Healthy -15.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Van Buren County
Bay County, MI 48.2 Normal -0.0
Kenosha County, WI 48.3 Normal +0.0
Maury County, TN 48.2 Normal -0.0
Lafayette Parish, LA 48.2 Normal -0.0
New Hanover County, NC 48.2 Normal -0.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Van Buren County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Van Buren 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 Van Buren 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Van Buren County, Michigan?

    Van Buren County has a County Distress Index score of 48.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,727th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 51st in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Van Buren County?

    The primary driver of distress in Van Buren County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 63.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Van Buren County compare to neighboring counties?

    Van Buren County (48.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Berrien County, MI (50.1); St. Joseph County, MI (49.0); Cass County, MI (46.6).

  • 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 Van Buren County?

    Van Buren County, Michigan has a population of approximately 75,798 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.