Douglas County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 25.9 | 39,953 people · 82nd most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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

Douglas County, MN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 25.9 — 3020th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Minnesota, it ranks 82nd of 87 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Douglas County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 44.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 44.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 39
Rent-to-Income Ratio 4
Employment & Wages 42.5
Unemployment Rate 72
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 12
Business Formation Rate 43
Income & Poverty 17.1
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 6
Debt & Delinquency 14.0
Debt in Collections 2
Medical Debt 14
Student Loan Delinquency 6
Auto Loan Delinquency 8
Credit Card Delinquency 9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46
Community Vulnerability 11.5
Uninsured Rate 8
Disability Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Douglas County
Douglas County, MN 25.9 Healthy —
Todd County, MN 43.2 Normal +17.3
Stearns County, MN 38.2 Normal +12.4
Otter Tail County, MN 36.7 Normal +10.9
Pope County, MN 36.6 Normal +10.8
Grant County, MN 35.3 Normal +9.4
Stevens County, MN 25.9 Healthy +0.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Douglas County
Falls Church city, VA 25.9 Healthy +0.1
Spencer County, IN 25.8 Healthy -0.1
Hamilton County, IA 26.0 Healthy +0.1
Kewaunee County, WI 26.0 Healthy +0.1
Chickasaw County, IA 26.0 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Douglas 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 Douglas 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 Douglas County, Minnesota?

    Douglas County has a County Distress Index score of 25.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,020th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 82nd in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Douglas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Douglas County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 44.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Douglas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Douglas County (25.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Todd County, MN (43.2); Stearns County, MN (38.2); Otter Tail County, MN (36.7).

  • 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 Douglas County?

    Douglas County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 39,953 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.