DeSoto County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.9 | 35,979 people · 12th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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DeSoto County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.9 — 190th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Florida, it ranks 12th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. DeSoto County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 85.9 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 85.9
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 83
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Consumer Credit Distress 82.9
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 74
Housing Cost Burden 64.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 65
Economic Vitality 64.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 20
House Price Change (YoY) 9
Legal Distress 46.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. DeSoto County
DeSoto County, FL 74.9 Serious —
Hardee County, FL 78.6 Serious +3.7
Highlands County, FL 72.1 Serious -2.8
Glades County, FL 69.7 Serious -5.2
Manatee County, FL 57.4 Elevated -17.5
Charlotte County, FL 55.4 Elevated -19.5
Sarasota County, FL 48.0 Normal -26.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. DeSoto County
Powell County, KY 74.8 Serious -0.0
Hamilton County, FL 74.9 Serious +0.0
Adair County, OK 74.9 Serious +0.0
Bristol city, VA 74.9 Serious +0.1
Claiborne Parish, LA 74.8 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in DeSoto 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 DeSoto 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 DeSoto County, Florida?

    DeSoto County has a County Distress Index score of 74.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 190th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in DeSoto County?

    The primary driver of distress in DeSoto County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 85.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does DeSoto County compare to neighboring counties?

    DeSoto County (74.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hardee County, FL (78.6); Highlands County, FL (72.1); Glades County, FL (69.7).

  • 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). DeSoto County's score of 74.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    DeSoto 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 DeSoto County?

    DeSoto County, Florida has a population of approximately 35,979 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.