Douglas County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.0 | 44,264 people · 25th most distressed in Wisconsin
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Douglas County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.0 — 2212th 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 25th of 72 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Douglas County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 74.9 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 74.9
Unemployment Rate 64
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 90
Housing Cost Burden 53.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41
Community Vulnerability 29.2
Uninsured Rate 14
Disability Rate 44
Debt & Delinquency 27.3
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 26
Student Loan Delinquency 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 51
Income & Poverty 25.0
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 39
Child Poverty Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Douglas County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Douglas County
Douglas County, WI 42.0 Normal —
Pine County, MN 50.2 Elevated +8.3
Burnett County, WI 49.2 Normal +7.2
Sawyer County, WI 47.3 Normal +5.3
St. Louis County, MN 46.1 Normal +4.2
Washburn County, WI 43.9 Normal +2.0
Bayfield County, WI 42.2 Normal +0.2
Lake County, MN 41.9 Normal -0.1
Carlton County, MN 40.2 Normal -1.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Douglas County
Douglas County, NV 42.0 Normal +0.1
Lake County, MN 41.9 Normal -0.1
Richland County, WI 41.9 Normal -0.1
Prince George County, VA 42.1 Normal +0.1
Kanabec County, MN 42.1 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Douglas 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 Douglas 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 Douglas County, Wisconsin?

    Douglas County has a County Distress Index score of 42.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,212th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Douglas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Douglas County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 74.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Douglas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Douglas County (42.0) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Pine County, MN (50.2); 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 Douglas County?

    Douglas County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 44,264 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.