Aitkin County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.7 | 16,102 people · 7th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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

Aitkin County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.7 — 1777th 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 Minnesota, it ranks 7th of 87 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Aitkin County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 67.2 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 67.2
Unemployment Rate 95
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 60
Income & Poverty 55.1
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 41
Community Vulnerability 52.7
Uninsured Rate 24
Disability Rate 82
Housing Cost Burden 41.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 40
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Debt & Delinquency 21.6
Debt in Collections 13
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 66

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Aitkin County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Aitkin County
Aitkin County, MN 47.7 Normal —
Pine County, MN 50.2 Elevated +2.6
Cass County, MN 49.1 Normal +1.4
Itasca County, MN 48.8 Normal +1.2
Mille Lacs County, MN 46.5 Normal -1.1
St. Louis County, MN 46.1 Normal -1.5
Kanabec County, MN 42.1 Normal -5.5
Carlton County, MN 40.2 Normal -7.5
Crow Wing County, MN 39.5 Normal -8.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Aitkin County
Dakota County, NE 47.7 Normal 0.0
Roberts County, SD 47.7 Normal 0.0
Montgomery County, MO 47.7 Normal +0.0
Pike County, GA 47.7 Normal +0.0
Lincoln County, NE 47.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Aitkin County

Find an Attorney

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 612-278-6333

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Aitkin County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis 612-334-5970
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid 612-332-1441
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services 1-888-575-2954
Central Minnesota Legal Services, Inc. (612) 334-5970
Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (800) 933-1112
Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota Corporation (800) 450-8585

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 Minnesota →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Aitkin County, Minnesota?

    Aitkin County has a County Distress Index score of 47.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,777th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Aitkin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Aitkin County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 67.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Aitkin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Aitkin County (47.7) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Pine County, MN (50.2); Cass County, MN (49.1); Itasca County, MN (48.8).

  • 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 Aitkin County?

    Aitkin County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 16,102 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.