San Bernardino County, California

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.7 | 2,195,611 people · 3rd most distressed in California
American Default Research

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San Bernardino County is where Southern Californians go when they get priced out. The county stretches from the eastern edge of the LA basin into the Mojave Desert, covering 20,000 square miles — the largest county by area in the contiguous US. Housing Cost Burden scores 96.1, with rent-burdened renters at the 98.7th percentile and owner-burdened homeowners at the 97.1st. Even the affordable alternative isn't affordable. Credit card delinquency registers at the 77.9th percentile. Auto loan delinquency: 66.8th. Bankruptcy filings: 73.8th. The debt profile tracks with what happens when a commuter economy sends workers two hours west for wages that were calibrated to a different housing market. Wage-to-rent ratio sits at the 97.6th percentile for burden. Employment & Wages scores 72.0 overall. The county has jobs. The jobs don't match the cost structure. San Bernardino scores 60.8, Elevated, ranking 774th nationally and 23rd among California's 58 counties. Its neighbors tell the broader story: Kern County at 69.1 (Serious), Riverside at 56.0, Clark County across the state line at 65.6. Los Angeles — the county its residents couldn't afford — scores 54.6. The people who left LA for cheaper housing carried the financial strain with them.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. San Bernardino County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 96.5 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 96.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 96
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 91
Economic Vitality 85.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 97
Business Formation Rate 37
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Legal Distress 73.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Consumer Credit Distress 59.2
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 54
Subprime Credit Population 75
Structural Poverty 42.4
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 48
Disability Rate 15
Transfer Income Dependency 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County, CA 68.7 Serious —
Clark County, NV 76.5 Serious +7.8
Kern County, CA 69.7 Serious +1.0
Mohave County, AZ 64.7 Elevated -4.0
Riverside County, CA 62.8 Elevated -5.9
Los Angeles County, CA 58.3 Elevated -10.4
La Paz County, AZ 54.5 Elevated -14.3
Orange County, CA 44.1 Normal -24.6
Inyo County, CA 34.9 Healthy -33.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Bernardino County
Fulton County, GA 68.0 Serious -0.7
Broward County, FL 69.5 Serious +0.8
Fresno County, CA 67.1 Serious -1.6
Harris County, TX 70.6 Serious +1.9
Miami-Dade County, FL 70.7 Serious +2.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for San Bernardino County as a CSV file.

Find Help in San Bernardino County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near San Bernardino County.

INLAND EMPIRE RESOURCE CENTER
San Bernardino
909-887-8700
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab
INLAND FAIR HOUSING AND MEDIATION BOARD
Ontario
800-321-0911 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPre-PurchaseHomebuyer EducationRental Help
LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA- SAN BERNARDINO BRANCH CARE CENTER
San Bernardino
909-866-2792 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF THE INLAND EMPIRE, INC.
San Bernardino
909-884-6891 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement
NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIP HOUSING SERVICES, INC.
Rancho Cucamonga
909-988-5979 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 San Bernardino 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.

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Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in California →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for San Bernardino County, California?

    San Bernardino County has a County Distress Index score of 68.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 449th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in California out of 58 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Bernardino County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Bernardino County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 96.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does San Bernardino County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Bernardino County (68.7) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Clark County, NV (76.5); Kern County, CA (69.7); Mohave County, AZ (64.7).

  • 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 Serious 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). San Bernardino County's score of 68.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power San Bernardino County's CDI score?

    San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino County?

    San Bernardino County, California has a population of approximately 2,195,611 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.