Los Angeles County, California

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.3 | 9,663,345 people · 17th most distressed in California
American Default Research

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Here's what stops you about Los Angeles County. Housing Cost Burden scores at the 97.6th percentile nationally. Rent-to-income ratio sits at the 99.2nd percentile. Nearly every renter and owner is stretched. And yet Debt & Delinquency registers at just 36.5 out of 100. For a county of 9.7 million people, that gap is the structural story. The math is straightforward. Housing takes so much of the paycheck that there's nothing left to borrow against. Traditional debt metrics stay low not because households are comfortable but because the housing burden consumes the capacity for other financial obligations. Credit card delinquency sits at the 52nd percentile. Auto loan delinquency is nearly identical. Those numbers look moderate until you realize they exist alongside a housing burden that ranks in the top 3% of every American county. Next door, Kern County scores 69.1 (Serious). San Bernardino hits 60.8. Ventura, the wealthiest neighbor, manages 48.6. The county's overall 54.6 Elevated score lands it 1,242nd nationally — right in the middle of the distress distribution. For a county that generates more economic output than most states, middle is not where you'd expect to find it.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Los Angeles County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 97.6 — worse than roughly 98% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 97.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 97
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 99
Economic Vitality 78.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 75
Legal Distress 60.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Consumer Credit Distress 41.0
Debt in Collections 33
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 49
Structural Poverty 39.2
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 9
Transfer Income Dependency 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, CA 58.3 Elevated —
Kern County, CA 69.7 Serious +11.4
San Bernardino County, CA 68.7 Serious +10.4
Ventura County, CA 47.3 Normal -11.0
Orange County, CA 44.1 Normal -14.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Los Angeles County
Kings County, NY 58.6 Elevated +0.4
Cook County, IL 57.7 Elevated -0.6
Mecklenburg County, NC 57.6 Elevated -0.7
Palm Beach County, FL 59.5 Elevated +1.2
Denton County, TX 56.5 Elevated -1.8

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Los Angeles County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Los Angeles County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Los Angeles County.

EAST LA COMMUNITY CORPORATION (ELACC)
Los Angeles
323-859-8050 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
FAIR HOUSING FOUNDATION
Long Beach
562-989-1206 Website
Rental Help
FAITH AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT FORMERLY KOREAN CHURCHES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Los Angeles
213-985-1500
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GREATER LOS ANGELES
Bellflower
310-323-4663 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
HAVEN SERVICES INC
Los Angeles
213-375-4663 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing

See all counselors in California →

Find an Attorney

State Bar of California — Find a Lawyer offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of California — Find a Lawyer 1-866-442-2529

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Los Angeles County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) 1-800-399-4529
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) 1-800-433-6251
Bay Area Legal Aid 1-800-551-5554
Legal Services of Northern California 1-800-822-9687
California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) 1-800-337-0690
Inland Counties Legal Services (ICLS) 1-888-245-4257
Legal Aid Society of San Diego 1-877-534-2524
Community Legal Aid SoCal 1-800-834-5001
California Indian Legal Services, Inc. (760) 746-8941
Central California Legal Services (800) 675-8001
Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Inc. (661) 325-5943

Self-Help Resources

California Courts Self-Help — Foreclosure and Mortgage Help Official California courts self-help resource with information on foreclosure procedures, homeowner rights, tenant protections in foreclosure, and links to free legal help.
LawHelpCA — Foreclosure Prevention Statewide legal aid directory connecting Californians with free legal information and local legal aid providers for foreclosure prevention, including links to self-help guides and intake forms.
California Attorney General — Homeowner Bill of Rights Official AG page explaining HBOR protections, including fact sheets on dual-tracking prohibition, single point of contact, and how to file a complaint about servicer violations.
DFPI Mortgage Relief Resources DFPI consumer resources for housing and mortgage issues, including information on PACE financing, foreclosure scam alerts, and how to file complaints against licensees.

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 California →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Los Angeles County, California?

    Los Angeles County has a County Distress Index score of 58.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,054th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in California out of 58 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Los Angeles County?

    The primary driver of distress in Los Angeles County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 97.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Los Angeles County compare to neighboring counties?

    Los Angeles County (58.3) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Kern County, CA (69.7); San Bernardino County, CA (68.7); Ventura County, CA (47.3).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Los Angeles County's score of 58.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Los Angeles County's CDI score?

    Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles County?

    Los Angeles County, California has a population of approximately 9,663,345 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.