Barron County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.3 | 46,833 people · 33rd most distressed in Wisconsin
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Barron County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.3 — 2454th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 33rd of 72 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 8 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Barron County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 57.9 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 57.9
Unemployment Rate 52
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 74
Housing Cost Burden 44.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 57
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 17
Community Vulnerability 36.3
Uninsured Rate 37
Disability Rate 35
Income & Poverty 33.2
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 64
Child Poverty Rate 16
Debt & Delinquency 20.0
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 27
Student Loan Delinquency 13
Auto Loan Delinquency 13
Credit Card Delinquency 7
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 Barron County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Barron County
Barron County, WI 38.3 Normal —
Rusk County, WI 52.0 Elevated +13.7
Burnett County, WI 49.2 Normal +10.9
Sawyer County, WI 47.3 Normal +8.9
Washburn County, WI 43.9 Normal +5.6
Polk County, WI 37.3 Normal -1.1
Dunn County, WI 35.9 Normal -2.4
Chippewa County, WI 31.3 Healthy -7.0
St. Croix County, WI 25.9 Healthy -12.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Barron County
Clinton County, IN 38.3 Normal 0.0
Watonwan County, MN 38.3 Normal +0.0
Carbon County, MT 38.3 Normal -0.0
Ottawa County, OH 38.2 Normal -0.1
Crawford County, IL 38.2 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Barron County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Wisconsin — Lawyer Referral and Information Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Wisconsin — Lawyer Referral and Information Service 608-257-4666 (Madison); 414-274-6768 (Milwaukee)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Barron County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee 414-278-7722
Legal Action of Wisconsin 608-256-3191 (Madison); 414-278-7722 (Milwaukee)
Wisconsin Judicare 715-842-1681 (Wausau); 1-800-472-1638 (statewide)
Disability Rights Wisconsin 608-267-0214
Judicare Legal Aid (715) 842-1681

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 Barron County, Wisconsin?

    Barron County has a County Distress Index score of 38.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,454th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 33rd in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Barron County?

    The primary driver of distress in Barron County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 57.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Barron County compare to neighboring counties?

    Barron County (38.3) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Rusk County, WI (52.0); Burnett County, WI (49.2); Sawyer County, WI (47.3).

  • 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 Barron County?

    Barron County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 46,833 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.