Burnett County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.2 | 17,092 people · 8th most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Burnett County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.2 — 1660th 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 8th of 72 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Burnett County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 69.0 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 69.0
Unemployment Rate 83
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 62
Income & Poverty 60.5
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 62
Child Poverty Rate 71
Community Vulnerability 53.7
Uninsured Rate 32
Disability Rate 75
Debt & Delinquency 31.6
Debt in Collections 13
Medical Debt 23
Student Loan Delinquency 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 37
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Housing Cost Burden 31.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Burnett County
Burnett County, WI 49.2 Normal —
Pine County, MN 50.2 Elevated +1.1
Washburn County, WI 43.9 Normal -5.3
Douglas County, WI 42.0 Normal -7.2
Barron County, WI 38.3 Normal -10.9
Polk County, WI 37.3 Normal -11.9
Chisago County, MN 36.2 Normal -13.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Burnett County
Lawrence County, AL 49.2 Normal -0.0
Sumner County, KS 49.2 Normal +0.0
Cass County, MN 49.1 Normal -0.1
Williams County, OH 49.2 Normal +0.1
Cleburne County, AL 49.3 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Burnett 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 Burnett 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 Burnett County, Wisconsin?

    Burnett County has a County Distress Index score of 49.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,660th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Burnett County?

    The primary driver of distress in Burnett County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 69.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Burnett County compare to neighboring counties?

    Burnett County (49.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pine County, MN (50.2); Washburn County, WI (43.9); 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 Burnett County?

    Burnett County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 17,092 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.