Wexford County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.4 | 34,122 people · 26th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Wexford County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.4 — 1337th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Michigan, it ranks 26th of 83 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Wexford County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 57.6 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 57.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 56
Employment & Wages 55.9
Unemployment Rate 85
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 34
Community Vulnerability 52.7
Uninsured Rate 35
Disability Rate 71
Income & Poverty 52.1
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 55
Debt & Delinquency 49.0
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 32
Student Loan Delinquency 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Wexford County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Wexford County
Wexford County, MI 53.4 Elevated —
Lake County, MI 69.2 Serious +15.8
Osceola County, MI 59.9 Elevated +6.4
Kalkaska County, MI 54.2 Elevated +0.7
Manistee County, MI 53.0 Elevated -0.5
Missaukee County, MI 48.8 Normal -4.6
Benzie County, MI 44.6 Normal -8.8
Grand Traverse County, MI 30.9 Healthy -22.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Wexford County
Wayne County, IL 53.4 Elevated -0.0
Cooke County, TX 53.4 Elevated -0.0
Lewis County, WV 53.5 Elevated +0.1
Adams County, WI 53.3 Elevated -0.1
Monroe County, WV 53.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wexford County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Wexford County.

NORTHWEST MICHIGAN COMMUNTY ACTION AGENCY , INC
CADILLAC
231-947-3780 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing

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 Wexford 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 Wexford County, Michigan?

    Wexford County has a County Distress Index score of 53.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,337th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wexford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wexford County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 57.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Wexford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wexford County (53.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Lake County, MI (69.2); Osceola County, MI (59.9); Kalkaska County, MI (54.2).

  • 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 Wexford County?

    Wexford County, Michigan has a population of approximately 34,122 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.