Monroe County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.6 | 46,151 people · 20th most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Monroe County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.6 — 2115th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Income & Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 20th of 72 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Monroe County's primary driver is Income & Poverty at 54.5 — above the national median.

Income & Poverty Primary driver 54.5
Poverty Rate 44
Income vs. State Median 73
Child Poverty Rate 47
Employment & Wages 43.7
Unemployment Rate 19
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Business Formation Rate 80
Community Vulnerability 43.7
Uninsured Rate 57
Disability Rate 30
Housing Cost Burden 41.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 35
Debt & Delinquency 34.9
Debt in Collections 26
Medical Debt 57
Student Loan Delinquency 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 14
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Monroe County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Monroe County
Monroe County, WI 43.6 Normal —
Jackson County, WI 47.7 Normal +4.2
Juneau County, WI 43.2 Normal -0.3
Vernon County, WI 38.5 Normal -5.0
La Crosse County, WI 36.6 Normal -6.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Monroe County
Paulding County, OH 43.5 Normal -0.0
Susquehanna County, PA 43.5 Normal -0.0
Caledonia County, VT 43.5 Normal -0.0
Albany County, WY 43.6 Normal +0.0
Crawford County, WI 43.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Monroe 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 Monroe 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Wisconsin →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Monroe County, Wisconsin?

    Monroe County has a County Distress Index score of 43.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,115th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Monroe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Monroe County is Income & Poverty, where the county scores 54.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median, Child Poverty Rate.

  • How does Monroe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Monroe County (43.6) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Jackson County, WI (47.7); Juneau County, WI (43.2); Vernon County, WI (38.5).

  • 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 Monroe County?

    Monroe County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 46,151 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.