Lake County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.9 | 10,855 people · 22nd most distressed in Minnesota
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Lake County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.9 — 2220th 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 22nd of 87 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lake County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 70.4 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 70.4
Unemployment Rate 83
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 56
Housing Cost Burden 53.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 48
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Community Vulnerability 33.4
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 50
Debt & Delinquency 27.2
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 16
Student Loan Delinquency 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37
Income & Poverty 25.1
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Lake County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lake County
Lake County, MN 41.9 Normal —
Ashland County, WI 49.5 Normal +7.6
St. Louis County, MN 46.1 Normal +4.3
Bayfield County, WI 42.2 Normal +0.3
Douglas County, WI 42.0 Normal +0.1
Cook County, MN 36.5 Normal -5.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lake County
Richland County, WI 41.9 Normal -0.0
Hood River County, OR 41.8 Normal -0.1
Douglas County, WI 42.0 Normal +0.1
Douglas County, NV 42.0 Normal +0.1
Marion County, MO 41.7 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lake 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 Lake 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 Lake County, Minnesota?

    Lake County has a County Distress Index score of 41.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,220th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lake County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lake County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 70.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Lake County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lake County (41.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Ashland County, WI (49.5); St. Louis County, MN (46.1); Bayfield County, WI (42.2).

  • 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 Lake County?

    Lake County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 10,855 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.