San Francisco County, California

County Distress Index: Healthy · 25.7 | 808,988 people · 58th most distressed in California
American Default Research

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San Francisco County, CA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 25.7 — 2940th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within California, it ranks 58th 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. San Francisco County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 58.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 58.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 44
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 99
Economic Vitality 57.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 3
House Price Change (YoY) 84
Structural Poverty 16.5
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 37
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 14
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 1
Legal Distress 15.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15
Consumer Credit Distress 8.3
Debt in Collections 3
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Uninsured Rate 4
Subprime Credit Population 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Francisco County
San Francisco County, CA 25.7 Healthy —
Contra Costa County, CA 43.4 Normal +17.7
Alameda County, CA 39.3 Normal +13.6
Marin County, CA 33.0 Healthy +7.4
San Mateo County, CA 29.7 Healthy +4.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Francisco County
Waukesha County, WI 25.3 Healthy -0.4
Loudoun County, VA 25.1 Healthy -0.6
Johnson County, KS 27.1 Healthy +1.4
Hamilton County, IN 24.2 Healthy -1.5
Morris County, NJ 27.4 Healthy +1.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in San Francisco County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near San Francisco County.

ASIAN INCORPORATED
SAN FRANCISCO
415-928-5910-6 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
BALANCE - SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco
800-777-7526 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase
BALANCE-SF 3RD STREET
San Francisco
888-456-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
MISSION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (MEDA)
San Francisco
415-282-3334 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
SAN FRANCISCO HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
San Francisco
415-822-1022 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco County, California?

    San Francisco County has a County Distress Index score of 25.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,940th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in California out of 58 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Francisco County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Francisco County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 58.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does San Francisco County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Francisco County (25.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Contra Costa County, CA (43.4); Alameda County, CA (39.3); Marin County, CA (33.0).

  • 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). San Francisco County's score of 25.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    San Francisco 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 Francisco County?

    San Francisco County, California has a population of approximately 808,988 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.