Cook County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.5 | 5,639 people · 44th most distressed in Minnesota
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Cook County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.5 — 2566th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Minnesota, it ranks 44th of 87 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Cook County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 56.7 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 56.7
Unemployment Rate 95
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 18
Income & Poverty 49.5
Poverty Rate 26
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 42
Housing Cost Burden 33.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 21
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Community Vulnerability 26.5
Uninsured Rate 27
Disability Rate 26
Debt & Delinquency 16.5
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 46
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Cook County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Cook County
Cook County, MN 36.5 Normal —
Ontonagon County, MI 53.6 Elevated +17.2
Ashland County, WI 49.5 Normal +13.1
Keweenaw County, MI 47.5 Normal +11.0
Lake County, MN 41.9 Normal +5.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Cook County
Rappahannock County, VA 36.5 Normal +0.1
Webster County, NE 36.4 Normal -0.1
Weston County, WY 36.5 Normal +0.1
Rawlins County, KS 36.4 Normal -0.1
Keokuk County, IA 36.3 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cook 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 Cook 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Cook County has a County Distress Index score of 36.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,566th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cook County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cook County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 56.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Cook County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cook County (36.5) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Ontonagon County, MI (53.6); Ashland County, WI (49.5); Keweenaw County, MI (47.5).

  • 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 Cook County?

    Cook County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 5,639 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.