St. Louis County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.1 | 200,514 people · 9th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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St. Louis County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.1 — 1889th 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 9th of 87 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. St. Louis County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 72.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 72.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 58
Employment & Wages 67.3
Unemployment Rate 80
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 76
Income & Poverty 44.8
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 21
Community Vulnerability 23.4
Uninsured Rate 5
Disability Rate 42
Debt & Delinquency 22.5
Debt in Collections 14
Medical Debt 15
Student Loan Delinquency 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. St. Louis County
St. Louis County, MN 46.1 Normal —
Itasca County, MN 48.8 Normal +2.7
Aitkin County, MN 47.7 Normal +1.5
Douglas County, WI 42.0 Normal -4.2
Lake County, MN 41.9 Normal -4.3
Koochiching County, MN 41.6 Normal -4.6
Carlton County, MN 40.2 Normal -6.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. St. Louis County
Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK 46.2 Normal +0.0
Brunswick County, NC 46.0 Normal -0.1
Columbia County, PA 46.3 Normal +0.2
Monroe County, IN 46.0 Normal -0.2
Steuben County, NY 46.0 Normal -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Louis County as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Louis County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near St. Louis County.

ARROWHEAD ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AGENCY, INC.
Virginia
218-749-2912x6895 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICE OF MINNESOTA
Duluth
218-529-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
ONE ROOF COMMUNITY HOUSING
Duluth
218-727-5372 Website
Post-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 St. Louis 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 St. Louis County, Minnesota?

    St. Louis County has a County Distress Index score of 46.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,889th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Louis County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Louis County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 72.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does St. Louis County compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Louis County (46.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Itasca County, MN (48.8); Aitkin County, MN (47.7); Douglas County, WI (42.0).

  • 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 St. Louis County?

    St. Louis County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 200,514 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.