Columbia County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.0 | 73,063 people · 18th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Columbia County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.0 — 350th 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 18th of 67 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Columbia County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 77.6 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 77.6
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 45
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 86
Structural Poverty 77.2
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 76
Economic Vitality 67.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 14
House Price Change (YoY) 25
Housing Cost Burden 62.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 44
Homeownership Rate 67
Legal Distress 47.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Columbia County
Columbia County, FL 71.0 Serious —
Hamilton County, FL 74.9 Serious +3.9
Clinch County, GA 68.4 Serious -2.6
Baker County, FL 67.7 Serious -3.3
Echols County, GA 66.3 Serious -4.7
Suwannee County, FL 65.6 Serious -5.4
Union County, FL 62.6 Elevated -8.4
Alachua County, FL 60.5 Elevated -10.5
Gilchrist County, FL 55.1 Elevated -15.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Columbia County
Lamar County, TX 71.1 Serious +0.1
Jones County, MS 70.8 Serious -0.2
Gaston County, NC 70.7 Serious -0.3
Ross County, OH 71.3 Serious +0.3
Kent County, DE 71.4 Serious +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Columbia 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 Columbia 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 Columbia County, Florida?

    Columbia County has a County Distress Index score of 71.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 350th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 18th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Columbia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Columbia County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 77.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Columbia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Columbia County (71.0) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Hamilton County, FL (74.9); Clinch County, GA (68.4); Baker County, FL (67.7).

  • 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). Columbia County's score of 71.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Columbia 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 Columbia County?

    Columbia County, Florida has a population of approximately 73,063 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.