Blue Earth County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.3 | 70,006 people · 20th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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Blue Earth County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.2 — 2193rd 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 Minnesota, it ranks 20th of 87 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Blue Earth County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.3 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Employment & Wages 56.5
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 77
Income & Poverty 45.1
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 13
Debt & Delinquency 22.0
Debt in Collections 19
Medical Debt 14
Student Loan Delinquency 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 18
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Community Vulnerability 11.4
Uninsured Rate 13
Disability Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Blue Earth County
Blue Earth County, MN 42.3 Normal —
Martin County, MN 45.4 Normal +3.1
Faribault County, MN 40.2 Normal -2.0
Watonwan County, MN 38.3 Normal -3.9
Le Sueur County, MN 35.2 Normal -7.0
Waseca County, MN 34.4 Healthy -7.8
Nicollet County, MN 31.8 Healthy -10.5
Brown County, MN 30.9 Healthy -11.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Blue Earth County
Autauga County, AL 42.1 Normal -0.2
Harrison County, WV 42.4 Normal +0.2
Lake County, OH 42.1 Normal -0.2
Loudon County, TN 42.5 Normal +0.2
Laramie County, WY 42.5 Normal +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Blue Earth County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Blue Earth County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Blue Earth County.

LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICE OF MINNESOTA
MANKATO
218-529-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseReverse Mortgage
SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA HOUSING PARTNERSHIP MANKATO BRANCH
Mankato
507-836-1605 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Minnesota →

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 Blue Earth 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Blue Earth County, Minnesota?

    Blue Earth County has a County Distress Index score of 42.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,193rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Blue Earth County?

    The primary driver of distress in Blue Earth County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Blue Earth County compare to neighboring counties?

    Blue Earth County (42.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Martin County, MN (45.4); Faribault County, MN (40.2); Watonwan County, MN (38.3).

  • 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 Blue Earth County?

    Blue Earth County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 70,006 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.