Clay County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.2 | 232,439 people · 39th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Clay County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.2 — 694th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Florida, it ranks 39th 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. Clay County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 76.6 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 76.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Housing Cost Burden 73.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 40
Economic Vitality 73.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 86
Consumer Credit Distress 66.7
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 51
Subprime Credit Population 69
Structural Poverty 27.3
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Clay County, FL 64.2 Elevated —
Bradford County, FL 78.0 Serious +13.8
Duval County, FL 77.4 Serious +13.3
Putnam County, FL 75.1 Serious +11.0
Baker County, FL 67.7 Serious +3.5
St. Johns County, FL 40.7 Normal -23.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Rutherford County, NC 64.2 Elevated 0.0
Onslow County, NC 64.2 Elevated -0.0
Butte County, CA 64.2 Elevated +0.0
Whitfield County, GA 64.1 Elevated -0.1
Lyon County, NV 64.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County, Florida?

    Clay County has a County Distress Index score of 64.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 694th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clay County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 76.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Clay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clay County (64.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Bradford County, FL (78.0); Duval County, FL (77.4); Putnam County, FL (75.1).

  • 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). Clay County's score of 64.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Clay 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 Clay County?

    Clay County, Florida has a population of approximately 232,439 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.