Mariposa County, California

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.9 | 16,919 people · 30th most distressed in California
American Default Research

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Mariposa County, CA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.9 — 1583rd 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 California, it ranks 30th of 58 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mariposa County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 81.7 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 81.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 88
House Price Change (YoY) 9
Structural Poverty 75.7
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 92
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 58
Housing Cost Burden 70.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 49
Legal Distress 39.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39
Consumer Credit Distress 28.4
Debt in Collections 32
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 35
Subprime Credit Population 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mariposa County
Mariposa County, CA 49.9 Normal —
Merced County, CA 67.7 Serious +17.7
Stanislaus County, CA 64.5 Elevated +14.5
Madera County, CA 63.4 Elevated +13.5
Tuolumne County, CA 54.9 Elevated +5.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mariposa County
Graham County, AZ 50.0 Normal +0.0
Lincoln County, NM 50.0 Normal +0.0
Meade County, KY 50.0 Normal +0.1
Custer County, MT 49.9 Normal -0.1
Crawford County, MI 50.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mariposa County

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 Mariposa 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Mariposa County has a County Distress Index score of 49.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,583rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in California out of 58 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mariposa County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mariposa County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 81.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Mariposa County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mariposa County (49.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Merced County, CA (67.7); Stanislaus County, CA (64.5); Madera County, CA (63.4).

  • 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). Mariposa County's score of 49.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Mariposa 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 Mariposa County?

    Mariposa County, California has a population of approximately 16,919 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.