Crawford County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.0 | 13,538 people · 28th most distressed in Michigan
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Crawford County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.0 — 1575th 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 28th of 83 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Crawford County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.4 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.4
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 54
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Legal Distress 66.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Housing Cost Burden 47.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 54
Homeownership Rate 12
Economic Vitality 46.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 81
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Consumer Credit Distress 42.2
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 44
Credit Card Delinquency 36
Uninsured Rate 25
Subprime Credit Population 51

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Crawford County
Crawford County, MI 50.0 Elevated —
Oscoda County, MI 57.0 Elevated +6.9
Montmorency County, MI 56.8 Elevated +6.7
Ogemaw County, MI 54.9 Elevated +4.9
Kalkaska County, MI 54.0 Elevated +4.0
Roscommon County, MI 52.2 Elevated +2.2
Otsego County, MI 49.2 Normal -0.9
Missaukee County, MI 46.3 Normal -3.7
Antrim County, MI 30.5 Healthy -19.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Crawford County
Meade County, KY 50.0 Normal -0.0
Union County, OR 50.1 Elevated +0.0
Lincoln County, NM 50.0 Normal -0.1
Graham County, AZ 50.0 Normal -0.1
Mariposa County, CA 49.9 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Crawford 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 Crawford 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 Crawford County, Michigan?

    Crawford County has a County Distress Index score of 50.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,575th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Crawford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Crawford County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Crawford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Crawford County (50.0) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Oscoda County, MI (57.0); Montmorency County, MI (56.8); Ogemaw County, MI (54.9).

  • 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). Crawford County's score of 50.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Crawford 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 Crawford County?

    Crawford County, Michigan has a population of approximately 13,538 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.