Roscommon County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.2 | 23,863 people · 19th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Roscommon County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.2 — 1440th 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 19th 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. Roscommon County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 85.7 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 85.7
Unemployment Rate 97
Poverty Rate 66
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 85
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 99
Legal Distress 84.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Economic Vitality 66.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 85
House Price Change (YoY) 9
Housing Cost Burden 60.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 4
Consumer Credit Distress 31.1
Debt in Collections 32
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 20
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 13
Subprime Credit Population 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Roscommon County
Roscommon County, MI 52.2 Elevated —
Clare County, MI 60.0 Elevated +7.8
Oscoda County, MI 57.0 Elevated +4.8
Ogemaw County, MI 54.9 Elevated +2.7
Kalkaska County, MI 54.0 Elevated +1.8
Crawford County, MI 50.0 Elevated -2.2
Missaukee County, MI 46.3 Normal -5.9
Gladwin County, MI 46.0 Normal -6.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Roscommon County
Todd County, KY 52.2 Elevated +0.0
Fremont County, WY 52.2 Elevated +0.0
Wexford County, MI 52.2 Elevated -0.0
Clay County, NC 52.1 Elevated -0.1
Leon County, TX 52.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Roscommon 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 Roscommon 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 Roscommon County, Michigan?

    Roscommon County has a County Distress Index score of 52.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,440th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Roscommon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Roscommon County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 85.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Roscommon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Roscommon County (52.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Clare County, MI (60.0); Oscoda County, MI (57.0); Ogemaw County, MI (54.9).

  • 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 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). Roscommon County's score of 52.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Roscommon 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 Roscommon County?

    Roscommon County, Michigan has a population of approximately 23,863 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.