Brevard County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.0 | 643,979 people · 46th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Brevard County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.0 — 888th 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 46th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Brevard County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 81.1 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 81.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 71
Homeownership Rate 36
Economic Vitality 70.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 90
Legal Distress 69.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Consumer Credit Distress 54.7
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 64
Subprime Credit Population 45
Structural Poverty 39.0
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 23
Income vs. State Median 21
Child Poverty Rate 35
Disability Rate 51
Transfer Income Dependency 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Brevard County
Brevard County, FL 61.0 Elevated —
Osceola County, FL 79.1 Serious +18.1
Orange County, FL 73.9 Serious +12.9
Volusia County, FL 69.8 Serious +8.8
Seminole County, FL 63.1 Elevated +2.2
Indian River County, FL 53.0 Elevated -8.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Brevard County
Pinellas County, FL 61.0 Elevated -0.0
Cobb County, GA 61.0 Elevated +0.0
Hays County, TX 61.1 Elevated +0.1
Lehigh County, PA 61.2 Elevated +0.3
Spartanburg County, SC 61.2 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brevard County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Brevard County.

COMMUNITY HOUSING INITIATIVE, INC
Melbourne
321-253-0053 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Brevard 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Brevard County has a County Distress Index score of 61.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 888th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brevard County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brevard County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 81.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Brevard County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brevard County (61.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Osceola County, FL (79.1); Orange County, FL (73.9); Volusia County, FL (69.8).

  • 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). Brevard County's score of 61.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Brevard 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 Brevard County?

    Brevard County, Florida has a population of approximately 643,979 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.