Manitowoc County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Healthy · 28.3 | 81,331 people · 61st most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Manitowoc County, WI ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 28.3 — 2945th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where the job market is relatively stable with wages that keep pace with costs. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 61st of 72 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Manitowoc County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 43.4 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 43.4
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 89
Income & Poverty 27.5
Poverty Rate 14
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 16
Debt & Delinquency 26.5
Debt in Collections 14
Medical Debt 41
Student Loan Delinquency 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 12
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Housing Cost Burden 26.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 26
Homeownership Rate 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10
Community Vulnerability 18.3
Uninsured Rate 11
Disability Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Manitowoc County
Manitowoc County, WI 28.3 Healthy —
Manistee County, MI 53.0 Elevated +24.6
Mason County, MI 48.7 Normal +20.3
Brown County, WI 30.1 Healthy +1.8
Sheboygan County, WI 27.5 Healthy -0.8
Kewaunee County, WI 26.0 Healthy -2.3
Calumet County, WI 22.3 Healthy -6.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Manitowoc County
Dodge County, WI 28.5 Healthy +0.2
Sarpy County, NE 28.0 Healthy -0.3
Hancock County, IN 28.8 Healthy +0.5
Washington County, VT 28.9 Healthy +0.5
Cass County, ND 27.8 Healthy -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Manitowoc 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 Manitowoc 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 Manitowoc County, Wisconsin?

    Manitowoc County has a County Distress Index score of 28.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,945th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 61st in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Manitowoc County?

    The primary driver of distress in Manitowoc County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 43.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Manitowoc County compare to neighboring counties?

    Manitowoc County (28.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Manistee County, MI (53.0); Mason County, MI (48.7); Brown County, WI (30.1).

  • 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 Manitowoc County?

    Manitowoc County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 81,331 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.