Stearns County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.2 | 160,977 people · 36th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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

Stearns County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.2 — 2463rd 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 36th of 87 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Stearns County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 68.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 68.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Employment & Wages 54.3
Unemployment Rate 74
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 55
Income & Poverty 28.9
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 20
Debt & Delinquency 27.0
Debt in Collections 12
Medical Debt 14
Student Loan Delinquency 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 19
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Community Vulnerability 12.7
Uninsured Rate 13
Disability Rate 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Stearns County compares to its 9 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Stearns County
Stearns County, MN 38.2 Normal —
Todd County, MN 43.2 Normal +5.0
Benton County, MN 42.7 Normal +4.5
Kandiyohi County, MN 40.8 Normal +2.6
Pope County, MN 36.6 Normal -1.6
Morrison County, MN 33.9 Healthy -4.3
Meeker County, MN 31.8 Healthy -6.4
Sherburne County, MN 31.1 Healthy -7.2
Wright County, MN 29.7 Healthy -8.5
Douglas County, MN 25.9 Healthy -12.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Stearns County
Moore County, NC 38.2 Normal -0.0
Wayne County, OH 38.2 Normal -0.0
Ontario County, NY 38.3 Normal +0.0
Franklin County, MO 38.3 Normal +0.1
Scott County, IA 38.1 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Stearns 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 Stearns 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 Stearns County, Minnesota?

    Stearns County has a County Distress Index score of 38.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,463rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stearns County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stearns County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 68.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Stearns County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stearns County (38.2) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Todd County, MN (43.2); Benton County, MN (42.7); Kandiyohi County, MN (40.8).

  • 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 Stearns County?

    Stearns County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 160,977 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.