Iron County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.6 | 11,740 people · 36th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Iron County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.6 — 1743rd 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 36th of 83 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 8 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Iron County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 88.2 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 88.2
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 70.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Legal Distress 54.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Housing Cost Burden 47.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 5
Consumer Credit Distress 30.3
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 12
Uninsured Rate 14
Subprime Credit Population 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Iron County
Iron County, MI 47.6 Normal —
Gogebic County, MI 49.0 Normal +1.5
Dickinson County, MI 40.3 Normal -7.3
Forest County, WI 39.1 Normal -8.5
Marquette County, MI 39.0 Normal -8.6
Houghton County, MI 37.5 Normal -10.1
Ontonagon County, MI 35.9 Normal -11.7
Baraga County, MI 28.7 Healthy -18.9
Florence County, WI 24.4 Healthy -23.2
Vilas County, WI 24.4 Healthy -23.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Iron County
Marion County, AR 47.6 Normal -0.0
Champaign County, OH 47.6 Normal +0.0
Gratiot County, MI 47.5 Normal -0.1
Lee County, IA 47.7 Normal +0.1
Sweetwater County, WY 47.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Iron 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 Iron 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Iron County, Michigan?

    Iron County has a County Distress Index score of 47.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,743rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Iron County?

    The primary driver of distress in Iron County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 88.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Iron County compare to neighboring counties?

    Iron County (47.6) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Gogebic County, MI (49.0); Dickinson County, MI (40.3); Forest County, WI (39.1).

  • 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). Iron County's score of 47.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Iron 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 Iron County?

    Iron County, Michigan has a population of approximately 11,740 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.