St. Louis County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.5 | 200,514 people · 10th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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St. Louis County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.5 — 2094th 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 Minnesota, it ranks 10th of 87 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Louis County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 82.6 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 82.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 62
Economic Vitality 52.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 58
Business Formation Rate 76
House Price Change (YoY) 23
Structural Poverty 52.0
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 21
Disability Rate 42
Transfer Income Dependency 52
Legal Distress 50.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Consumer Credit Distress 15.9
Debt in Collections 14
Medical Debt 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Louis County
St. Louis County, MN 41.5 Normal —
Itasca County, MN 40.4 Normal -1.1
Lake County, MN 37.9 Normal -3.7
Douglas County, WI 37.5 Normal -4.0
Carlton County, MN 32.8 Healthy -8.7
Aitkin County, MN 32.6 Healthy -8.9
Koochiching County, MN 29.9 Healthy -11.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Louis County
Kootenai County, ID 41.5 Normal +0.0
Livingston County, NY 41.5 Normal +0.0
Bonneville County, ID 41.6 Normal +0.1
Wayne County, NY 41.7 Normal +0.2
Sussex County, NJ 41.8 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in St. Louis County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

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

ARROWHEAD ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AGENCY, INC.
Virginia
218-749-2912x6895 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICE OF MINNESOTA
Duluth
218-529-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
ONE ROOF COMMUNITY HOUSING
Duluth
218-727-5372 Website
Post-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Minnesota →

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 St. Louis 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Minnesota →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for St. Louis County, Minnesota?

    St. Louis County has a County Distress Index score of 41.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,094th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Louis County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Louis County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 82.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

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

    St. Louis County (41.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Itasca County, MN (40.4); Lake County, MN (37.9); Douglas County, WI (37.5).

  • 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 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. Louis County's score of 41.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    St. Louis 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. Louis County?

    St. Louis County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 200,514 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.