Bayfield County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.2 | 16,769 people · 23rd most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Bayfield County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.2 — 2196th 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 Wisconsin, it ranks 23rd of 72 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Bayfield County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 72.8 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 72.8
Unemployment Rate 78
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Business Formation Rate 71
Income & Poverty 43.6
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 40
Community Vulnerability 42.8
Uninsured Rate 28
Disability Rate 58
Housing Cost Burden 27.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 21
Debt & Delinquency 24.1
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 47
Student Loan Delinquency 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Bayfield County
Bayfield County, WI 42.2 Normal —
Ashland County, WI 49.5 Normal +7.3
Sawyer County, WI 47.3 Normal +5.1
Washburn County, WI 43.9 Normal +1.7
Douglas County, WI 42.0 Normal -0.2
Lake County, MN 41.9 Normal -0.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Bayfield County
Clark County, IL 42.1 Normal -0.0
Duchesne County, UT 42.1 Normal -0.0
Kanabec County, MN 42.1 Normal -0.1
Livingston County, MO 42.3 Normal +0.1
Prince George County, VA 42.1 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bayfield 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 Bayfield 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 Bayfield County, Wisconsin?

    Bayfield County has a County Distress Index score of 42.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,196th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bayfield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bayfield County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 72.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Bayfield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bayfield County (42.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Ashland County, WI (49.5); Sawyer County, WI (47.3); Washburn County, WI (43.9).

  • 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 Bayfield County?

    Bayfield County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 16,769 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.