Schoolcraft County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.1 | 8,149 people · 57th most distressed in Michigan
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Schoolcraft County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.1 — 2246th 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 57th of 83 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Schoolcraft County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 77.7 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 77.7
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 68
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 43.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 35
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 11
Housing Cost Burden 37.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 5
Consumer Credit Distress 31.9
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 8
Legal Distress 15.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Schoolcraft County
Schoolcraft County, MI 39.1 Normal —
Luce County, MI 50.4 Elevated +11.3
Delta County, MI 38.0 Normal -1.2
Mackinac County, MI 35.0 Healthy -4.2
Alger County, MI 29.9 Healthy -9.2
Charlevoix County, MI 29.5 Healthy -9.7
Leelanau County, MI 18.7 Healthy -20.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Schoolcraft County
Pendleton County, WV 39.1 Normal -0.1
Marshall County, KS 39.1 Normal -0.1
Forest County, WI 39.1 Normal -0.1
Cimarron County, OK 39.2 Normal +0.1
Benson County, ND 39.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Schoolcraft 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 Schoolcraft 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 Schoolcraft County, Michigan?

    Schoolcraft County has a County Distress Index score of 39.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,246th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 57th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Schoolcraft County?

    The primary driver of distress in Schoolcraft County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 77.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Schoolcraft County compare to neighboring counties?

    Schoolcraft County (39.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Luce County, MI (50.4); Delta County, MI (38.0); 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 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). Schoolcraft County's score of 39.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Schoolcraft 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 Schoolcraft County?

    Schoolcraft County, Michigan has a population of approximately 8,149 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.