Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.9 | 115,239 people · 8th most distressed in Alaska
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.9 — 2023rd 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 Alaska, it ranks 8th of 30 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Matanuska-Susitna Borough's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 74.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 74.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 90
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 38
Economic Vitality 45.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 16
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 31
Consumer Credit Distress 37.8
Debt in Collections 32
Medical Debt 68
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 26
Structural Poverty 26.7
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 18
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 17
Legal Distress 7.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK 42.9 Normal —
Anchorage Municipality, AK 47.6 Normal +4.8
Bethel Census Area, AK 47.0 Normal +4.2
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK 44.5 Normal +1.6
Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK 38.6 Normal -4.3
Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK 30.2 Healthy -12.6
Denali Borough, AK 19.3 Healthy -23.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Cheshire County, NH 42.8 Normal -0.0
Wilson County, TN 42.9 Normal +0.1
Clay County, MN 43.0 Normal +0.1
Stafford County, VA 43.0 Normal +0.1
Pennington County, SD 42.7 Normal -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Matanuska-Susitna Borough as a CSV file.

Find Help in Matanuska-Susitna Borough

Find an Attorney

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

Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 907-272-7469

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Matanuska-Susitna Borough residents at no cost.

Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC) 1-888-478-2572

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 Alaska →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska?

    Matanuska-Susitna Borough has a County Distress Index score of 42.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,023rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Alaska out of 30 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Matanuska-Susitna Borough?

    The primary driver of distress in Matanuska-Susitna Borough is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 74.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Matanuska-Susitna Borough compare to neighboring counties?

    Matanuska-Susitna Borough (42.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Anchorage Municipality, AK (47.6); Bethel Census Area, AK (47.0); Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK (44.5).

  • 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). Matanuska-Susitna Borough's score of 42.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Matanuska-Susitna Borough's CDI score?

    Matanuska-Susitna Borough'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 Matanuska-Susitna Borough?

    Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska has a population of approximately 115,239 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.