Barry County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.6 | 63,808 people · 66th most distressed in Michigan
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Barry County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.6 — 2446th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Michigan, it ranks 66th of 83 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Barry County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 67.0 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 67.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 66
House Price Change (YoY) 24
Housing Cost Burden 44.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 1
Consumer Credit Distress 30.2
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 21
Subprime Credit Population 23
Legal Distress 28.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28
Structural Poverty 23.7
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 13
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 19

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Barry County
Barry County, MI 35.6 Normal —
Calhoun County, MI 65.1 Serious +29.5
Kalamazoo County, MI 52.2 Elevated +16.6
Ionia County, MI 48.2 Normal +12.6
Kent County, MI 43.5 Normal +7.9
Eaton County, MI 40.8 Normal +5.2
Allegan County, MI 32.0 Healthy -3.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Barry County
Grand Forks County, ND 35.7 Normal +0.1
Minnehaha County, SD 35.5 Normal -0.1
Platte County, MO 35.7 Normal +0.1
Newport County, RI 35.5 Normal -0.1
Tazewell County, IL 35.8 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Barry County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-968-0738

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Barry County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid & Defender Association of Detroit 313-967-5555
Michigan Legal Help / Wolverine Legal Aid
Neighborhood Legal Services of Michigan 248-548-3838
Michigan Advocacy Program 616-774-0672
Legal Services of South Central Michigan 734-665-6181
Lakeshore Legal Aid (888) 783-8190
Legal Aid of Western Michigan (616) 774-0672
Legal Services of Eastern Michigan (800) 322-4512
Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Inc. (906) 786-2303

Self-Help Resources

Michigan Legal Help — Foreclosure Self-help guides and interactive tools for Michigan foreclosure process and defenses
MSHDA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs, counselor referrals, and MIHAF information

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 Michigan →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Barry County, Michigan?

    Barry County has a County Distress Index score of 35.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,446th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 66th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Barry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Barry County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 67.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Barry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Barry County (35.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, MI (65.1); Kalamazoo County, MI (52.2); Ionia County, MI (48.2).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Normal zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Barry County's score of 35.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Barry County's CDI score?

    Barry County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Barry County?

    Barry County, Michigan has a population of approximately 63,808 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.