Pierce County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Healthy · 34.0 | 43,026 people · 45th most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Pierce County, WI ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 34.0 — 2700th 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 45th of 72 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

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

Employment & Wages Primary driver 74.9
Unemployment Rate 49
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 98
Business Formation Rate 78
Housing Cost Burden 68.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Debt & Delinquency 15.7
Debt in Collections 6
Medical Debt 27
Student Loan Delinquency 5
Auto Loan Delinquency 7
Credit Card Delinquency 4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 45
Income & Poverty 6.5
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 8
Child Poverty Rate 3
Community Vulnerability 4.4
Uninsured Rate 3
Disability Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Pierce County
Pierce County, WI 34.0 Healthy —
Dunn County, WI 35.9 Normal +1.9
Pepin County, WI 31.9 Healthy -2.1
Dakota County, MN 30.5 Healthy -3.5
Goodhue County, MN 28.9 Healthy -5.1
Washington County, MN 27.5 Healthy -6.5
St. Croix County, WI 25.9 Healthy -8.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Pierce County
Barnes County, ND 33.9 Healthy -0.0
Morrison County, MN 33.9 Healthy -0.1
Campbell County, WY 34.0 Healthy +0.1
Buena Vista County, IA 33.9 Healthy -0.1
Richland County, ND 33.9 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pierce 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 Pierce 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 Pierce County, Wisconsin?

    Pierce County has a County Distress Index score of 34.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,700th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pierce County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pierce 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 Pierce County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pierce County (34.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Dunn County, WI (35.9); Pepin County, WI (31.9); Dakota County, MN (30.5).

  • 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 Pierce County?

    Pierce County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 43,026 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.