Ingham County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.9 | 284,637 people · 11th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Ingham County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.9 — 1154th 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 11th of 83 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ingham County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 90.1 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 90.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 91
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 93
Legal Distress 65.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Consumer Credit Distress 47.8
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 16
Subprime Credit Population 53
Structural Poverty 44.6
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 44
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 31
Economic Vitality 34.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ingham County
Ingham County, MI 56.9 Elevated —
Jackson County, MI 58.5 Elevated +1.6
Shiawassee County, MI 51.5 Elevated -5.4
Eaton County, MI 40.8 Normal -16.0
Clinton County, MI 28.9 Healthy -28.0
Livingston County, MI 26.6 Healthy -30.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ingham County
Summit County, OH 56.9 Elevated +0.0
Solano County, CA 57.1 Elevated +0.3
Dauphin County, PA 57.1 Elevated +0.3
York County, SC 56.5 Elevated -0.4
Chesapeake city, VA 56.5 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ingham County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Ingham County.

CAPITAL AREA HOUSING PARTNERSHIP
Lansing
517-332-4663 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICES
East Lansing
586-469-7610
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
TELAMON CORPORATION - HOLLAND BRANCH
Lansing
984-365-6571 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Ingham 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 Ingham County, Michigan?

    Ingham County has a County Distress Index score of 56.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,154th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ingham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ingham County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 90.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Ingham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ingham County (56.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jackson County, MI (58.5); Shiawassee County, MI (51.5); Eaton County, MI (40.8).

  • 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). Ingham County's score of 56.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Ingham 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 Ingham County?

    Ingham County, Michigan has a population of approximately 284,637 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.