Columbia County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Healthy · 25.3 | 58,091 people · 66th most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Columbia County, WI ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 25.3 — 3032nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 66th of 72 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Columbia County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 40.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 40.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 23
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 40
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 36
Rent-to-Income Ratio 20
Employment & Wages 32.7
Unemployment Rate 13
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 18
Debt & Delinquency 26.7
Debt in Collections 12
Medical Debt 55
Student Loan Delinquency 6
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48
Community Vulnerability 14.0
Uninsured Rate 13
Disability Rate 15
Income & Poverty 12.8
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Columbia County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Columbia County
Columbia County, WI 25.3 Healthy —
Adams County, WI 53.3 Elevated +28.0
Marquette County, WI 45.7 Normal +20.3
Juneau County, WI 43.2 Normal +17.9
Green Lake County, WI 43.1 Normal +17.7
Sauk County, WI 35.9 Normal +10.6
Dane County, WI 31.7 Healthy +6.4
Dodge County, WI 28.5 Healthy +3.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Columbia County
Livingston County, MI 25.3 Healthy 0.0
Geauga County, OH 25.3 Healthy -0.1
Olmsted County, MN 25.8 Healthy +0.4
St. Croix County, WI 25.9 Healthy +0.5
Broomfield County, CO 24.6 Healthy -0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Columbia 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 Columbia 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 Columbia County, Wisconsin?

    Columbia County has a County Distress Index score of 25.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,032nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 66th in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Columbia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Columbia County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 40.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Columbia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Columbia County (25.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Adams County, WI (53.3); Marquette County, WI (45.7); Juneau County, WI (43.2).

  • 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 Columbia County?

    Columbia County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 58,091 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.