Grand Isle County, Vermont

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.4 | 7,467 people · 7th most distressed in Vermont
American Default Research

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Grand Isle County, VT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.4 — 2454th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Vermont, it ranks 7th of 14 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Grand Isle County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 84.4 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 84.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 17
Housing Cost Burden 69.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 5
Structural Poverty 20.7
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 20
Disability Rate 16
Transfer Income Dependency 12
Legal Distress 18.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18
Consumer Credit Distress 17.1
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 19
Uninsured Rate 7
Subprime Credit Population 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Grand Isle County
Grand Isle County, VT 35.4 Normal —
Clinton County, NY 52.9 Elevated +17.5
Franklin County, VT 36.9 Normal +1.5
Chittenden County, VT 32.2 Healthy -3.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Grand Isle County
Essex County, VT 35.4 Normal -0.0
Major County, OK 35.4 Normal -0.1
Morris County, KS 35.5 Normal +0.1
Gilpin County, CO 35.5 Normal +0.1
Chase County, KS 35.3 Normal -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Grand Isle County as a CSV file.

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Legal aid organizations serving Grand Isle County residents at no cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Grand Isle County, Vermont?

    Grand Isle County has a County Distress Index score of 35.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,454th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Vermont out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Grand Isle County?

    The primary driver of distress in Grand Isle County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 84.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Grand Isle County compare to neighboring counties?

    Grand Isle County (35.4) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Clinton County, NY (52.9); Franklin County, VT (36.9); Chittenden County, VT (32.2).

  • 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). Grand Isle County's score of 35.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Grand Isle County's CDI score?

    Grand Isle 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 Grand Isle County?

    Grand Isle County, Vermont has a population of approximately 7,467 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.