St. Clair County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.5 | 159,874 people · 14th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

St. Clair County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.5 — 1301st 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 14th of 83 counties. It scores higher than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Clair County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.8 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 17
Economic Vitality 73.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 35
Legal Distress 71.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Structural Poverty 43.7
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 35
Income vs. State Median 23
Child Poverty Rate 32
Disability Rate 57
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Consumer Credit Distress 40.6
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 15
Subprime Credit Population 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Clair County
St. Clair County, MI 54.5 Elevated —
Macomb County, MI 54.1 Elevated -0.5
Lapeer County, MI 48.8 Normal -5.7
Sanilac County, MI 42.5 Normal -12.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Clair County
Grady County, OK 54.5 Elevated -0.1
Spotsylvania County, VA 54.6 Elevated +0.1
Okaloosa County, FL 54.6 Elevated +0.1
Pittsylvania County, VA 54.7 Elevated +0.2
Portage County, OH 54.2 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Clair County as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Clair County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near St. Clair County.

BLUE WATER COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY
Port Huron
810-982-8541
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer 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 St. Clair 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for St. Clair County, Michigan?

    St. Clair County has a County Distress Index score of 54.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,301st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Clair County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Clair County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does St. Clair County compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Clair County (54.5) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Macomb County, MI (54.1); Lapeer County, MI (48.8); Sanilac County, MI (42.5).

  • 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). St. Clair County's score of 54.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power St. Clair County's CDI score?

    St. Clair 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 St. Clair County?

    St. Clair County, Michigan has a population of approximately 159,874 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.