Polk County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.3 | 45,762 people · 35th most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Polk County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.3 — 2523rd 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 35th of 72 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Polk County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 68.9 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 68.9
Unemployment Rate 78
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Business Formation Rate 60
Housing Cost Burden 37.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 30
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Community Vulnerability 31.1
Uninsured Rate 30
Disability Rate 32
Income & Poverty 26.0
Poverty Rate 13
Income vs. State Median 45
Child Poverty Rate 20
Debt & Delinquency 23.3
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 34
Student Loan Delinquency 10
Auto Loan Delinquency 16
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Polk County
Polk County, WI 37.3 Normal —
Burnett County, WI 49.2 Normal +11.9
Barron County, WI 38.3 Normal +1.1
Chisago County, MN 36.2 Normal -1.1
Dunn County, WI 35.9 Normal -1.4
Washington County, MN 27.5 Healthy -9.8
St. Croix County, WI 25.9 Healthy -11.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Polk County
Orange County, VA 37.3 Normal +0.0
Teller County, CO 37.3 Normal +0.1
Redwood County, MN 37.2 Normal -0.1
Lincoln County, ME 37.1 Normal -0.1
Uinta County, WY 37.0 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk County, Wisconsin?

    Polk County has a County Distress Index score of 37.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,523rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Polk County?

    The primary driver of distress in Polk County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 68.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Polk County compare to neighboring counties?

    Polk County (37.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Burnett County, WI (49.2); Barron County, WI (38.3); Chisago County, MN (36.2).

  • 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 Polk County?

    Polk County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 45,762 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.