Kent County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.5 | 661,354 people · 48th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Kent County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.5 — 1983rd 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 48th of 83 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Kent County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.7 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 69
Economic Vitality 61.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 23
House Price Change (YoY) 39
Legal Distress 35.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36
Consumer Credit Distress 32.6
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Uninsured Rate 16
Subprime Credit Population 32
Structural Poverty 18.9
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 25
Disability Rate 8
Transfer Income Dependency 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Kent County
Kent County, MI 43.5 Normal —
Muskegon County, MI 57.9 Elevated +14.4
Ionia County, MI 48.2 Normal +4.7
Montcalm County, MI 47.1 Normal +3.6
Newaygo County, MI 43.9 Normal +0.4
Barry County, MI 35.6 Normal -7.9
Ottawa County, MI 32.8 Healthy -10.6
Allegan County, MI 32.0 Healthy -11.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Kent County
Albany County, NY 43.5 Normal -0.0
Plymouth County, MA 43.4 Normal -0.1
Polk County, IA 43.6 Normal +0.1
Dutchess County, NY 43.7 Normal +0.2
Clark County, WA 43.1 Normal -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kent County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Kent County.

GRAND RAPIDS URBAN LEAGUE DBA Urban League of West Michigan
Grand Rapids
616-245-2207 Website
Foreclosure PreventionHomeless/DisplacementRental Help
HOME REPAIR SERVICES OF KENT COUNTY
Grand Rapids
616-241-2601 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
ICCF COMMUNITY HOMES
Grand Rapids
616-336-9333 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION- GRAND RAPIDS KENT COUNTY
GRAND RAPIDS
616-632-7874
Financial CounselingHomebuyer Education

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 Kent 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 Kent County, Michigan?

    Kent County has a County Distress Index score of 43.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,983rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kent County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kent County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Kent County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kent County (43.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Muskegon County, MI (57.9); Ionia County, MI (48.2); Montcalm County, MI (47.1).

  • 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). Kent County's score of 43.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Kent 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 Kent County?

    Kent County, Michigan has a population of approximately 661,354 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.