Petersburg Borough, Alaska

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.6 | 3,427 people · 14th most distressed in Alaska
American Default Research

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Petersburg Borough, AK falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.6 — 2277th 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 Alaska, it ranks 14th of 30 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Petersburg Borough's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 65.9 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 65.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 18
House Price Change (YoY) 13
Housing Cost Burden 63.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 66
Structural Poverty 49.2
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 15
Disability Rate 52
Transfer Income Dependency 40
Consumer Credit Distress 23.6
Debt in Collections 24
Medical Debt 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 9
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 16
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Petersburg Borough
Petersburg Borough, AK 38.6 Normal —
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK 44.7 Normal +6.1
Sitka City and Borough, AK 37.9 Normal -0.8
Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK 36.2 Normal -2.4
Wrangell City and Borough, AK 31.6 Healthy -7.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Petersburg Borough
Tripp County, SD 38.6 Normal +0.0
Lyman County, SD 38.7 Normal +0.1
Kit Carson County, CO 38.5 Normal -0.1
Aleutians East Borough, AK 38.8 Normal +0.2
Lincoln County, ID 38.4 Normal -0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Petersburg Borough as a CSV file.

Find Help in Petersburg Borough

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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

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Legal aid organizations serving Petersburg Borough residents at no cost.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Petersburg Borough, Alaska?

    Petersburg Borough has a County Distress Index score of 38.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,277th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Alaska out of 30 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Petersburg Borough?

    The primary driver of distress in Petersburg Borough is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 65.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Petersburg Borough compare to neighboring counties?

    Petersburg Borough (38.6) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK (44.7); Sitka City and Borough, AK (37.9); Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK (36.2).

  • 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). Petersburg Borough's score of 38.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Petersburg Borough's CDI score?

    Petersburg 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 Petersburg Borough?

    Petersburg Borough, Alaska has a population of approximately 3,427 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.