Lafayette County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.9 | 16,945 people · 52nd most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Lafayette County, WI ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.9 — 2806th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where health coverage and disability rates are better than the national average. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 52nd 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. Lafayette County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 38.5 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 38.5
Uninsured Rate 69
Disability Rate 8
Income & Poverty 32.9
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 28
Debt & Delinquency 32.9
Debt in Collections 19
Medical Debt 60
Student Loan Delinquency 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Housing Cost Burden 30.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 22
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 23
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 6
Employment & Wages 24.3
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lafayette County
Lafayette County, WI 31.9 Healthy —
Stephenson County, IL 46.3 Normal +14.5
Grant County, WI 39.2 Normal +7.4
Jo Daviess County, IL 32.8 Healthy +0.9
Green County, WI 26.2 Healthy -5.7
Iowa County, WI 20.8 Healthy -11.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lafayette County
Dodge County, MN 31.8 Healthy -0.1
Meeker County, MN 31.8 Healthy -0.1
Nicollet County, MN 31.8 Healthy -0.1
Cumberland County, IL 32.0 Healthy +0.1
Mills County, IA 31.7 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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 Lafayette County, Wisconsin?

    Lafayette County has a County Distress Index score of 31.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,806th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lafayette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lafayette County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 38.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Lafayette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lafayette County (31.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Stephenson County, IL (46.3); Grant County, WI (39.2); Jo Daviess County, IL (32.8).

  • 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 Lafayette County?

    Lafayette County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 16,945 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.