Bay County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.7 | 102,500 people · 45th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Bay County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.7 — 1917th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Michigan, it ranks 45th of 83 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bay County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 82.3 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 82.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Structural Poverty 59.1
Unemployment Rate 90
Poverty Rate 44
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 41
Disability Rate 57
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Housing Cost Burden 55.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 62
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 39
Economic Vitality 43.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 83
House Price Change (YoY) 32
Consumer Credit Distress 30.0
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 21
Credit Card Delinquency 20
Uninsured Rate 14
Subprime Credit Population 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bay County
Bay County, MI 44.7 Normal —
Saginaw County, MI 63.1 Elevated +18.4
Arenac County, MI 51.6 Elevated +7.0
Gladwin County, MI 46.0 Normal +1.3
Tuscola County, MI 45.8 Normal +1.1
Midland County, MI 36.3 Normal -8.4
Huron County, MI 33.0 Healthy -11.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bay County
Hancock County, OH 44.7 Normal 0.0
Cascade County, MT 44.7 Normal +0.0
Lincoln County, NC 44.7 Normal +0.0
Champaign County, IL 44.6 Normal -0.1
Adams County, IL 44.8 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bay 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 Bay 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 Bay County, Michigan?

    Bay County has a County Distress Index score of 44.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,917th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bay County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 82.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bay County (44.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Saginaw County, MI (63.1); Arenac County, MI (51.6); Gladwin County, MI (46.0).

  • 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). Bay County's score of 44.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Bay 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 Bay County?

    Bay County, Michigan has a population of approximately 102,500 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.