Vernon County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.5 | 31,170 people · 31st most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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

Vernon County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.5 — 2443rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Income & Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 31st of 72 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Vernon County's primary driver is Income & Poverty at 48.9 — above the national median.

Income & Poverty Primary driver 48.9
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 52
Employment & Wages 47.3
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 70
Community Vulnerability 47.3
Uninsured Rate 87
Disability Rate 7
Housing Cost Burden 32.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 20
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10
Debt & Delinquency 17.1
Debt in Collections 4
Medical Debt 33
Student Loan Delinquency 5
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Vernon County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Vernon County
Vernon County, WI 38.5 Normal —
Crawford County, WI 43.6 Normal +5.1
Monroe County, WI 43.6 Normal +5.0
Juneau County, WI 43.2 Normal +4.7
Richland County, WI 41.9 Normal +3.3
Allamakee County, IA 38.6 Normal +0.0
La Crosse County, WI 36.6 Normal -1.9
Sauk County, WI 35.9 Normal -2.6
Houston County, MN 29.9 Healthy -8.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Vernon County
Allamakee County, IA 38.6 Normal +0.0
Huntington County, IN 38.5 Normal -0.1
Kingfisher County, OK 38.5 Normal -0.1
Gaines County, TX 38.7 Normal +0.1
Shawano County, WI 38.4 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Vernon County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Vernon County.

COULEECAP INC.
Westby
608-782-4877 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPre-Lease/Pre-Purchase

See all counselors in Wisconsin →

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 Vernon 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 Vernon County, Wisconsin?

    Vernon County has a County Distress Index score of 38.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,443rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 31st in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Vernon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Vernon County is Income & Poverty, where the county scores 48.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median, Child Poverty Rate.

  • How does Vernon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Vernon County (38.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Crawford County, WI (43.6); Monroe County, WI (43.6); Juneau County, WI (43.2).

  • 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 Vernon County?

    Vernon County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 31,170 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.