Houghton County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.5 | 37,599 people · 61st most distressed in Michigan
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Houghton County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.5 — 2344th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Michigan, it ranks 61st of 83 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Houghton County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.7 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 90
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 43
Homeownership Rate 66
Structural Poverty 58.0
Unemployment Rate 86
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 68
Child Poverty Rate 30
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 72
Economic Vitality 39.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 15
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 31
Consumer Credit Distress 15.3
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 7
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Uninsured Rate 29
Subprime Credit Population 7
Legal Distress 12.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Houghton County
Houghton County, MI 37.5 Normal —
Iron County, MI 47.6 Normal +10.1
Marquette County, MI 39.0 Normal +1.5
Ontonagon County, MI 35.9 Normal -1.6
Keweenaw County, MI 35.8 Normal -1.6
Baraga County, MI 28.7 Healthy -8.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Houghton County
Gage County, NE 37.5 Normal +0.0
Fayette County, IA 37.4 Normal -0.1
Douglas County, WI 37.5 Normal +0.1
Alpena County, MI 37.4 Normal -0.1
Hardin County, IA 37.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Houghton 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 Houghton 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 Houghton County, Michigan?

    Houghton County has a County Distress Index score of 37.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,344th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 61st in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Houghton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Houghton County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Houghton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Houghton County (37.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Iron County, MI (47.6); Marquette County, MI (39.0); Ontonagon County, MI (35.9).

  • 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 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). Houghton County's score of 37.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Houghton 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 Houghton County?

    Houghton County, Michigan has a population of approximately 37,599 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.