Keweenaw County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.8 | 2,172 people · 65th most distressed in Michigan
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Keweenaw County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.8 — 2429th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Michigan, it ranks 65th of 83 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Keweenaw County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 66.9 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 66.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 54
House Price Change (YoY) 33
Structural Poverty 62.1
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 44
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 77
Legal Distress 43.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43
Consumer Credit Distress 30.5
Debt in Collections 18
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 24
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 5
Housing Cost Burden 15.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Keweenaw County
Keweenaw County, MI 35.8 Normal —
Marquette County, MI 39.0 Normal +3.1
Houghton County, MI 37.5 Normal +1.6
Ontonagon County, MI 35.9 Normal +0.0
Alger County, MI 29.9 Healthy -5.9
Cook County, MN 24.5 Healthy -11.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Keweenaw County
Granite County, MT 35.8 Normal -0.0
Ontonagon County, MI 35.9 Normal +0.0
Lewis County, ID 35.9 Normal +0.1
Valley County, MT 35.9 Normal +0.1
Pawnee County, NE 35.8 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Keweenaw 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 Keweenaw 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 Keweenaw County, Michigan?

    Keweenaw County has a County Distress Index score of 35.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,429th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 65th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Keweenaw County?

    The primary driver of distress in Keweenaw County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 66.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Keweenaw County compare to neighboring counties?

    Keweenaw County (35.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Marquette County, MI (39.0); Houghton County, MI (37.5); 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). Keweenaw County's score of 35.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Keweenaw 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 Keweenaw County?

    Keweenaw County, Michigan has a population of approximately 2,172 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.