Alachua County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.5 | 285,994 people · 49th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Alachua County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.5 — 924th 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 Florida, it ranks 49th of 67 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Alachua County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 94.2 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 94.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 60
Homeownership Rate 97
Economic Vitality 66.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 64
Consumer Credit Distress 50.9
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 47
Subprime Credit Population 59
Structural Poverty 50.9
Unemployment Rate 86
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 68
Child Poverty Rate 48
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 21
Legal Distress 30.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Alachua County
Alachua County, FL 60.5 Elevated —
Bradford County, FL 78.0 Serious +17.5
Putnam County, FL 75.1 Serious +14.7
Marion County, FL 71.9 Serious +11.4
Columbia County, FL 71.0 Serious +10.5
Levy County, FL 63.9 Elevated +3.5
Union County, FL 62.6 Elevated +2.1
Gilchrist County, FL 55.1 Elevated -5.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Alachua County
Hamilton County, TN 60.5 Elevated +0.0
Winnebago County, IL 60.4 Elevated -0.0
San Joaquin County, CA 60.6 Elevated +0.2
Adams County, CO 60.3 Elevated -0.2
Hamilton County, OH 60.1 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Alachua County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Alachua County.

NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Gainesville
352-380-9119
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA/FLORIDA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Gainesville
352-392-1761 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Florida →

Find an Attorney

The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-342-8011

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Alachua County residents at no cost.

Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS) 1-239-334-4554
Legal Services of Greater Miami (LSGMI) 1-305-576-0080
Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida 1-954-736-2400
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida (CLSMF) 1-800-405-1417
Bay Area Legal Services 1-800-625-2257
Legal Services of North Florida 1-850-385-9007
Three Rivers Legal Services 1-866-256-8091

Self-Help Resources

The Florida Bar — Foreclosure Crisis Help for Consumers Official Florida Bar resource page for homeowners facing foreclosure, including information on finding an attorney, legal aid referrals, and understanding the foreclosure process.
Florida Courts — Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Cases Florida Supreme Court page with information on residential mortgage foreclosure cases, including links to administrative orders, mediation resources, and the Managed Mediation program.
Florida AG — Resources Available to Distressed Homeowners Florida Attorney General's office page with resources for distressed homeowners, including information on mortgage fraud, foreclosure rescue scams, and how to file complaints.
Florida LawHelp Statewide legal aid directory connecting Floridians with free legal information and local legal aid providers for foreclosure prevention and other civil legal needs.

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 Florida →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Alachua County, Florida?

    Alachua County has a County Distress Index score of 60.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 924th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 49th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Alachua County?

    The primary driver of distress in Alachua County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 94.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Alachua County compare to neighboring counties?

    Alachua County (60.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Bradford County, FL (78.0); Putnam County, FL (75.1); Marion County, FL (71.9).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Alachua County's score of 60.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Alachua 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 Alachua County?

    Alachua County, Florida has a population of approximately 285,994 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.