Dane County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.7 | 575,347 people · 53rd most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Dane County, WI ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.7 — 2814th 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 Wisconsin, it ranks 53rd of 72 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Dane County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 83.0 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 83.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 76
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Employment & Wages 36.8
Unemployment Rate 6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 37
Debt & Delinquency 21.4
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 37
Student Loan Delinquency 5
Auto Loan Delinquency 33
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 40
Income & Poverty 13.9
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 4
Community Vulnerability 3.6
Uninsured Rate 5
Disability Rate 2

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Dane County
Dane County, WI 31.7 Healthy —
Rock County, WI 43.7 Normal +12.0
Sauk County, WI 35.9 Normal +4.2
Jefferson County, WI 31.4 Healthy -0.3
Dodge County, WI 28.5 Healthy -3.2
Green County, WI 26.2 Healthy -5.6
Columbia County, WI 25.3 Healthy -6.4
Iowa County, WI 20.8 Healthy -10.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Dane County
Ottawa County, MI 31.8 Healthy +0.0
Union County, NC 31.9 Healthy +0.2
Boulder County, CO 31.4 Healthy -0.3
Ada County, ID 32.1 Healthy +0.3
Somerset County, NJ 31.4 Healthy -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dane County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Dane County.

MOVIN' OUT, INC.
Madison
608-518-4446 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase

See all counselors in Wisconsin →

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 Dane 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 Dane County, Wisconsin?

    Dane County has a County Distress Index score of 31.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,814th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dane County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dane County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 83.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Dane County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dane County (31.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Rock County, WI (43.7); Sauk County, WI (35.9); Jefferson County, WI (31.4).

  • 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 Dane County?

    Dane County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 575,347 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.