Luce County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.4 | 6,435 people · 27th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Luce County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.4 — 1551st 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 27th of 83 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Luce County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 89.7 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 89.7
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Housing Cost Burden 61.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 75
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 25
Economic Vitality 58.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 11
Consumer Credit Distress 39.4
Debt in Collections 39
Medical Debt 80
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 14
Subprime Credit Population 22
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Luce County
Luce County, MI 50.4 Elevated —
Chippewa County, MI 43.7 Normal -6.7
Schoolcraft County, MI 39.1 Normal -11.3
Mackinac County, MI 35.0 Healthy -15.4
Alger County, MI 29.9 Healthy -20.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Luce County
Woods County, OK 50.4 Elevated -0.0
San Saba County, TX 50.4 Elevated +0.0
Prairie County, AR 50.5 Elevated +0.1
Dawes County, NE 50.2 Elevated -0.2
Houston County, TN 50.6 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Luce 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 Luce 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 Luce County, Michigan?

    Luce County has a County Distress Index score of 50.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,551st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Luce County?

    The primary driver of distress in Luce County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 89.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Luce County compare to neighboring counties?

    Luce County (50.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Chippewa County, MI (43.7); Schoolcraft County, MI (39.1); Mackinac County, MI (35.0).

  • 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). Luce County's score of 50.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Luce 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 Luce County?

    Luce County, Michigan has a population of approximately 6,435 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.