Bay County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.7 | 190,769 people · 37th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Bay County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.7 — 657th 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 37th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bay County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 83.8 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 83.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 77
Economic Vitality 75.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 3
House Price Change (YoY) 65
Consumer Credit Distress 64.8
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 50
Credit Card Delinquency 65
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 71
Structural Poverty 47.0
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 36
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 38
Disability Rate 70
Transfer Income Dependency 38
Legal Distress 25.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bay County
Bay County, FL 64.7 Elevated —
Jackson County, FL 76.3 Serious +11.6
Calhoun County, FL 75.5 Serious +10.8
Washington County, FL 65.2 Serious +0.5
Gulf County, FL 58.4 Elevated -6.3
Walton County, FL 52.5 Elevated -12.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bay County
Gila County, AZ 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Kershaw County, SC 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Mohave County, AZ 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Payne County, OK 64.6 Elevated -0.1
Jackson County, MS 64.6 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bay County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Bay County.

CITY OF PANAMA CITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Panama City
850-872-7231
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-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 Bay 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 Bay County, Florida?

    Bay County has a County Distress Index score of 64.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 657th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bay County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 83.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Bay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bay County (64.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jackson County, FL (76.3); Calhoun County, FL (75.5); Washington County, FL (65.2).

  • 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). Bay County's score of 64.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Bay 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 Bay County?

    Bay County, Florida has a population of approximately 190,769 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.