St. Joseph County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.4 | 60,878 people · 38th most distressed in Michigan
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St. Joseph County, MI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.4 — 1751st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Michigan, it ranks 38th of 83 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Joseph County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 56.5 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 56.5
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Uninsured Rate 62
Subprime Credit Population 49
Structural Poverty 43.3
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 35
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 31
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Housing Cost Burden 39.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 46
Economic Vitality 35.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 17
Legal Distress 35.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County, MI 47.4 Normal —
Calhoun County, MI 65.1 Serious +17.7
Elkhart County, IN 60.0 Elevated +12.6
Kalamazoo County, MI 52.2 Elevated +4.8
Branch County, MI 51.8 Elevated +4.4
Van Buren County, MI 49.0 Normal +1.6
Cass County, MI 46.3 Normal -1.1
LaGrange County, IN 25.3 Healthy -22.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Joseph County
Pulaski County, MO 47.5 Normal +0.1
Comal County, TX 47.4 Normal -0.1
Porter County, IN 47.3 Normal -0.1
Floyd County, IN 47.3 Normal -0.2
Cape May County, NJ 47.3 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph County, Michigan?

    St. Joseph County has a County Distress Index score of 47.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,751st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Joseph County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Joseph County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 56.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

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

    St. Joseph County (47.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, MI (65.1); Elkhart County, IN (60.0); Kalamazoo County, MI (52.2).

  • 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). St. Joseph County's score of 47.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    St. Joseph 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. Joseph County?

    St. Joseph County, Michigan has a population of approximately 60,878 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.