Isabella County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.8 | 64,118 people · 6th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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

Isabella County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.8 — 968th 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 6th of 83 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Isabella County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 90.0 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 90.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 96
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 91
Structural Poverty 67.3
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 42
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 67
Legal Distress 54.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Economic Vitality 51.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 39
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 25
Consumer Credit Distress 46.0
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 51

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Isabella County
Isabella County, MI 59.8 Elevated —
Clare County, MI 60.0 Elevated +0.2
Osceola County, MI 54.4 Elevated -5.4
Mecosta County, MI 54.3 Elevated -5.5
Gratiot County, MI 47.5 Normal -12.3
Montcalm County, MI 47.1 Normal -12.7
Gladwin County, MI 46.0 Normal -13.8
Midland County, MI 36.3 Normal -23.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Isabella County
Vanderburgh County, IN 59.8 Elevated +0.0
Athens County, OH 59.8 Elevated +0.0
Coffee County, TN 59.8 Elevated +0.0
Columbiana County, OH 59.7 Elevated -0.0
Lackawanna County, PA 59.7 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Isabella 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 Isabella 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 Isabella County, Michigan?

    Isabella County has a County Distress Index score of 59.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 968th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Isabella County?

    The primary driver of distress in Isabella County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 90.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Isabella County compare to neighboring counties?

    Isabella County (59.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Clare County, MI (60.0); 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). Isabella County's score of 59.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Isabella 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 Isabella County?

    Isabella County, Michigan has a population of approximately 64,118 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.