Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.6 | 916,205 people · 2nd most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Milwaukee County, WI shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.6 — 521st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 2nd of 72 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. Milwaukee County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.5 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Housing Cost Burden 85.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 91
Homeownership Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 64.0
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Uninsured Rate 41
Subprime Credit Population 66
Structural Poverty 52.5
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 73
Child Poverty Rate 75
Disability Rate 21
Transfer Income Dependency 31
Economic Vitality 42.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 33
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Milwaukee County
Milwaukee County, WI 67.6 Serious —
Muskegon County, MI 57.9 Elevated -9.7
Racine County, WI 49.6 Normal -17.9
Ottawa County, MI 32.8 Healthy -34.7
Washington County, WI 25.4 Healthy -42.2
Waukesha County, WI 25.3 Healthy -42.3
Ozaukee County, WI 21.3 Healthy -46.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Milwaukee County
Merced County, CA 67.7 Serious +0.1
Camden County, NJ 67.3 Serious -0.3
Lake County, IN 67.2 Serious -0.4
Passaic County, NJ 68.0 Serious +0.4
Genesee County, MI 68.0 Serious +0.5

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Milwaukee County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Milwaukee County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Milwaukee County.

ACTS HOUSING
Milwaukee
414-933-2215 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFair Housing
HOUSING RESOURCES, INCORPORATED
Milwaukee
414-461-6330 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
NSC (NACA COUNSELING SUBSIDIARY) - MILWAUKEE, WI
Wauwatosa
414-442-6222 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase
OPERATION HOPE- MILWAUKEE WI
Milwaukee
414-426-2239 Website
Mortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
UNITED COMMUNITY CENTER
MILWAUKEE
414-384-3100 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase

See all counselors in Wisconsin →

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Wisconsin — Lawyer Referral and Information Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Wisconsin — Lawyer Referral and Information Service 608-257-4666 (Madison); 414-274-6768 (Milwaukee)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Milwaukee County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee 414-278-7722
Legal Action of Wisconsin 608-256-3191 (Madison); 414-278-7722 (Milwaukee)
Wisconsin Judicare 715-842-1681 (Wausau); 1-800-472-1638 (statewide)
Disability Rights Wisconsin 608-267-0214
Judicare Legal Aid (715) 842-1681

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 Wisconsin →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Milwaukee County, Wisconsin?

    Milwaukee County has a County Distress Index score of 67.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 521st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Milwaukee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Milwaukee County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Milwaukee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Milwaukee County (67.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Muskegon County, MI (57.9); Racine County, WI (49.6); Ottawa County, MI (32.8).

  • 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 Serious 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). Milwaukee County's score of 67.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Milwaukee County's CDI score?

    Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee County?

    Milwaukee County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 916,205 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.