Red Lake County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 22.9 | 3,911 people · 78th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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Red Lake County, MN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 22.9 — 3012th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Minnesota, it ranks 78th of 87 counties. It scores lower than all 2 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Red Lake County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 51.9 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 51.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 9
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 56
Structural Poverty 41.1
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 56
Child Poverty Rate 16
Disability Rate 21
Transfer Income Dependency 41
Legal Distress 37.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37
Housing Cost Burden 15.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 10
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 5
Consumer Credit Distress 13.4
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 10
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 39

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Red Lake County
Red Lake County, MN 22.9 Healthy —
Polk County, MN 36.6 Normal +13.6
Pennington County, MN 31.1 Healthy +8.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Red Lake County
Brule County, SD 23.0 Healthy +0.0
Rock County, MN 22.9 Healthy -0.0
McIntosh County, ND 22.9 Healthy -0.1
Phillips County, KS 22.9 Healthy -0.1
Crook County, WY 22.7 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Red Lake County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Red Lake County

Find an Attorney

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 612-278-6333

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Red Lake County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis 612-334-5970
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid 612-332-1441
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services 1-888-575-2954
Central Minnesota Legal Services, Inc. (612) 334-5970
Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (800) 933-1112
Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota Corporation (800) 450-8585

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Red Lake County, Minnesota?

    Red Lake County has a County Distress Index score of 22.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,012th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 78th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Red Lake County?

    The primary driver of distress in Red Lake County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 51.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Red Lake County compare to neighboring counties?

    Red Lake County (22.9) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Polk County, MN (36.6); Pennington County, MN (31.1).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Red Lake County's score of 22.9 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • What data sources power Red Lake County's CDI score?

    Red Lake 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 Red Lake County?

    Red Lake County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 3,911 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.