Sauk County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.9 | 65,920 people · 39th most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Sauk County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.9 — 2591st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 39th of 72 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Sauk County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 46.6 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 46.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 57
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10
Employment & Wages 45.3
Unemployment Rate 16
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 57
Debt & Delinquency 43.1
Debt in Collections 30
Medical Debt 60
Student Loan Delinquency 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 44
Credit Card Delinquency 15
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Community Vulnerability 25.8
Uninsured Rate 34
Disability Rate 18
Income & Poverty 18.9
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Sauk County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Sauk County
Sauk County, WI 35.9 Normal —
Adams County, WI 53.3 Elevated +17.4
Juneau County, WI 43.2 Normal +7.3
Richland County, WI 41.9 Normal +5.9
Vernon County, WI 38.5 Normal +2.6
Dane County, WI 31.7 Healthy -4.2
Columbia County, WI 25.3 Healthy -10.6
Iowa County, WI 20.8 Healthy -15.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Sauk County
Lewis and Clark County, MT 35.9 Normal -0.0
Tazewell County, IL 36.0 Normal +0.1
Grundy County, IL 35.8 Normal -0.1
Sussex County, NJ 36.1 Normal +0.1
Ward County, ND 35.8 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sauk 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 Sauk 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 Sauk County, Wisconsin?

    Sauk County has a County Distress Index score of 35.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,591st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sauk County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sauk County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 46.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Sauk County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sauk County (35.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Adams County, WI (53.3); Juneau County, WI (43.2); Richland County, WI (41.9).

  • 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 Sauk County?

    Sauk County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 65,920 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.