Washtenaw County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.3 | 365,536 people · 70th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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

Washtenaw County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.3 — 2389th 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 70th of 83 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Washtenaw County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 86.1 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 86.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 96
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Employment & Wages 46.5
Unemployment Rate 49
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 27
Income & Poverty 31.6
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 29
Debt & Delinquency 27.6
Debt in Collections 14
Medical Debt 32
Student Loan Delinquency 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 10
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Community Vulnerability 4.8
Uninsured Rate 3
Disability Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County, MI 39.3 Normal —
Wayne County, MI 65.1 Serious +25.7
Jackson County, MI 52.1 Elevated +12.7
Lenawee County, MI 47.7 Normal +8.4
Monroe County, MI 44.2 Normal +4.9
Oakland County, MI 28.5 Healthy -10.9
Livingston County, MI 25.3 Healthy -14.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Washtenaw County
Westmoreland County, PA 39.3 Normal -0.1
Burlington County, NJ 38.9 Normal -0.4
Prince William County, VA 38.6 Normal -0.7
Dutchess County, NY 38.6 Normal -0.8
York County, PA 38.4 Normal -0.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washtenaw County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Washtenaw County.

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICE-WASHTENAW
Ann Arbor
734-997-1678 Website
Financial CounselingHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Michigan →

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 Washtenaw 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 Washtenaw County, Michigan?

    Washtenaw County has a County Distress Index score of 39.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,389th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 70th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washtenaw County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washtenaw County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 86.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Washtenaw County compare to neighboring counties?

    Washtenaw County (39.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wayne County, MI (65.1); Jackson County, MI (52.1); Lenawee County, MI (47.7).

  • 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 Washtenaw County?

    Washtenaw County, Michigan has a population of approximately 365,536 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.