Vilas County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.8 | 23,885 people · 41st most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Vilas County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.8 — 2601st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Income & Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 41st of 72 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Vilas County's primary driver is Income & Poverty at 51.7 — above the national median.

Income & Poverty Primary driver 51.7
Poverty Rate 40
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 43
Employment & Wages 48.4
Unemployment Rate 55
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 32
Community Vulnerability 38.6
Uninsured Rate 31
Disability Rate 46
Debt & Delinquency 20.2
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 49
Student Loan Delinquency 10
Auto Loan Delinquency 15
Credit Card Delinquency 7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32
Housing Cost Burden 20.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 54
Homeownership Rate 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Vilas County
Vilas County, WI 35.8 Normal —
Iron County, MI 61.5 Elevated +25.7
Gogebic County, MI 58.1 Elevated +22.3
Forest County, WI 50.8 Elevated +15.0
Iron County, WI 50.6 Elevated +14.9
Price County, WI 44.7 Normal +8.9
Oneida County, WI 32.2 Healthy -3.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Vilas County
Morgan County, WV 35.8 Normal -0.0
Livingston County, IL 35.7 Normal -0.0
Floyd County, IA 35.8 Normal +0.0
Steuben County, IN 35.7 Normal -0.1
Madison County, NE 35.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Vilas County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Vilas County.

WISCONSIN NATIVE LOAN FUND
Lac Du Flambeau
715-588-1600 Website
Post-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 Vilas 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 Vilas County, Wisconsin?

    Vilas County has a County Distress Index score of 35.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,601st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Vilas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Vilas County is Income & Poverty, where the county scores 51.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median, Child Poverty Rate.

  • How does Vilas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Vilas County (35.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Iron County, MI (61.5); Gogebic County, MI (58.1); Forest County, WI (50.8).

  • 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 Vilas County?

    Vilas County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 23,885 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.