Baker County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.7 | 28,368 people · 30th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Baker County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.7 — 510th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Florida, it ranks 30th of 67 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Baker County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 76.4 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 76.4
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 68
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 86
Housing Cost Burden 70.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 91
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 7
Legal Distress 62.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Structural Poverty 49.1
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 58
Disability Rate 43
Transfer Income Dependency 48
Economic Vitality 49.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Baker County
Baker County, FL 67.7 Serious —
Ware County, GA 83.4 Crisis +15.7
Charlton County, GA 82.5 Crisis +14.8
Bradford County, FL 78.0 Serious +10.3
Duval County, FL 77.4 Serious +9.7
Columbia County, FL 71.0 Serious +3.3
Clinch County, GA 68.4 Serious +0.7
Clay County, FL 64.2 Elevated -3.5
Union County, FL 62.6 Elevated -5.1
Nassau County, FL 49.0 Normal -18.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Baker County
Johnson County, AR 67.7 Serious 0.0
Carter County, OK 67.7 Serious -0.0
Houston County, TX 67.6 Serious -0.1
Berrien County, GA 67.6 Serious -0.1
Crawford County, GA 67.8 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Baker County

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 Baker 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 Baker County, Florida?

    Baker County has a County Distress Index score of 67.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 510th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Baker County?

    The primary driver of distress in Baker County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 76.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Baker County compare to neighboring counties?

    Baker County (67.7) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Ware County, GA (83.4); Charlton County, GA (82.5); Bradford County, FL (78.0).

  • 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 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). Baker County's score of 67.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Baker 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 Baker County?

    Baker County, Florida has a population of approximately 28,368 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.