Wood County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.3 | 73,939 people · 38th most distressed in Wisconsin
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Wood County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.3 — 2576th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 38th of 72 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Wood County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 45.5 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 45.5
Unemployment Rate 38
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 87
Housing Cost Burden 40.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 43
Homeownership Rate 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 15
Income & Poverty 34.0
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 62
Child Poverty Rate 22
Debt & Delinquency 32.9
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 57
Student Loan Delinquency 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 12
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Community Vulnerability 28.8
Uninsured Rate 12
Disability Rate 45

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Wood County
Wood County, WI 36.3 Normal —
Adams County, WI 53.3 Elevated +17.0
Jackson County, WI 47.7 Normal +11.4
Juneau County, WI 43.2 Normal +6.9
Clark County, WI 39.5 Normal +3.3
Marathon County, WI 32.4 Healthy -3.9
Portage County, WI 29.7 Healthy -6.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Wood County
Rice County, MN 36.3 Normal -0.0
Chisago County, MN 36.2 Normal -0.1
Midland County, MI 36.4 Normal +0.1
Bullitt County, KY 36.1 Normal -0.2
Sussex County, NJ 36.1 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wood 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 Wood 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 Wood County, Wisconsin?

    Wood County has a County Distress Index score of 36.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,576th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wood County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wood County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 45.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Wood County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wood County (36.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Adams County, WI (53.3); Jackson County, WI (47.7); 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 Wood County?

    Wood County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 73,939 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.