Clare County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.0 | 31,316 people · 5th most distressed in Michigan
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Clare County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.0 — 950th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Michigan, it ranks 5th of 83 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clare County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 92.8 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 92.8
Unemployment Rate 97
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 92
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 68.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Economic Vitality 57.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 77
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Consumer Credit Distress 56.4
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 53
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 53
Housing Cost Burden 45.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 63
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clare County
Clare County, MI 60.0 Elevated —
Isabella County, MI 59.8 Elevated -0.2
Osceola County, MI 54.4 Elevated -5.6
Mecosta County, MI 54.3 Elevated -5.7
Roscommon County, MI 52.2 Elevated -7.8
Missaukee County, MI 46.3 Normal -13.7
Gladwin County, MI 46.0 Normal -14.0
Midland County, MI 36.3 Normal -23.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clare County
Weakley County, TN 60.0 Elevated -0.0
LaSalle Parish, LA 59.9 Elevated -0.1
Mason County, KY 59.9 Elevated -0.1
Union County, MS 60.1 Elevated +0.1
Smyth County, VA 60.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clare County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Clare County.

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION - CLARE C
HARRISON
989-539-7805
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomebuyer Education
MID-MICHIGAN COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY
Farwell
989-386-3805 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase

See all counselors in Michigan →

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 Clare 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 Clare County, Michigan?

    Clare County has a County Distress Index score of 60.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 950th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clare County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clare County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 92.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Clare County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clare County (60.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Isabella County, MI (59.8); Osceola County, MI (54.4); Mecosta County, MI (54.3).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Clare County's score of 60.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Clare 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 Clare County?

    Clare County, Michigan has a population of approximately 31,316 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.