Mono County, California

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.6 | 13,066 people · 55th most distressed in California
American Default Research

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Mono County, CA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.6 — 2665th 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 55th of 58 counties. It scores lower than all 9 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mono County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 72.3 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 72.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 36
House Price Change (YoY) 16
Housing Cost Burden 52.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 73
Structural Poverty 23.0
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 6
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 13
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Consumer Credit Distress 19.9
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 7
Credit Card Delinquency 17
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 33
Legal Distress 8.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mono County
Mono County, CA 31.6 Healthy —
Esmeralda County, NV 67.7 Serious +36.1
Fresno County, CA 67.1 Serious +35.4
Lyon County, NV 64.1 Elevated +32.4
Madera County, CA 63.4 Elevated +31.8
Mineral County, NV 60.3 Elevated +28.6
Tuolumne County, CA 54.9 Elevated +23.3
Douglas County, NV 39.9 Normal +8.3
Inyo County, CA 34.9 Healthy +3.2
Alpine County, CA 32.6 Healthy +0.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mono County
Skamania County, WA 31.7 Healthy +0.0
Ramsey County, ND 31.6 Healthy -0.0
Grand County, CO 31.7 Healthy +0.1
Montour County, PA 31.8 Healthy +0.2
Kandiyohi County, MN 31.9 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mono 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 Mono 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 Mono County, California?

    Mono County has a County Distress Index score of 31.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,665th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in California out of 58 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mono County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mono County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 72.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Mono County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mono County (31.6) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Esmeralda County, NV (67.7); Fresno County, CA (67.1); Lyon County, NV (64.1).

  • 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). Mono County's score of 31.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Mono 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 Mono County?

    Mono County, California has a population of approximately 13,066 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.