Marin County, California

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.0 | 254,407 people · 53rd most distressed in California
American Default Research

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

Marin County, CA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.0 — 2584th 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 California, it ranks 53rd of 58 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Marin County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 94.3 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 94.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 87
Economic Vitality 83.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 97
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 90
Legal Distress 14.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15
Structural Poverty 10.9
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 5
Disability Rate 4
Transfer Income Dependency 1
Consumer Credit Distress 3.7
Debt in Collections 1
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 6
Subprime Credit Population 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marin County
Marin County, CA 33.0 Healthy —
Solano County, CA 57.1 Elevated +24.1
Contra Costa County, CA 43.4 Normal +10.3
Sonoma County, CA 40.2 Normal +7.2
San Francisco County, CA 25.7 Healthy -7.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marin County
Brown County, WI 33.1 Healthy +0.1
Ottawa County, MI 32.8 Healthy -0.2
Cumberland County, ME 32.6 Healthy -0.4
Montgomery County, PA 32.5 Healthy -0.5
Somerset County, NJ 33.7 Healthy +0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marin County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Marin County.

FAIR HOUSING ADVOCATES OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
San Rafael
415-457-5025 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFair HousingPre-Purchase

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 Marin 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Marin County, California?

    Marin County has a County Distress Index score of 33.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,584th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in California out of 58 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marin County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 94.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Marin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marin County (33.0) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Solano County, CA (57.1); Contra Costa County, CA (43.4); Sonoma County, CA (40.2).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Marin County's score of 33.0 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Marin 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 Marin County?

    Marin County, California has a population of approximately 254,407 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.