Escambia County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.6 | 326,928 people · 14th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Escambia County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.6 — 239th 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 14th of 67 counties. It scores higher than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Escambia 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%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 74
Homeownership Rate 87
Legal Distress 77.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Consumer Credit Distress 75.2
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 80
Auto Loan Delinquency 75
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 72
Economic Vitality 66.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 88
Structural Poverty 54.6
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 54
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 65
Disability Rate 62
Transfer Income Dependency 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Escambia County
Escambia County, FL 73.6 Serious —
Escambia County, AL 69.6 Serious -4.0
Baldwin County, AL 52.8 Elevated -20.8
Santa Rosa County, FL 47.0 Normal -26.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Escambia County
Prince George's County, MD 73.5 Serious -0.1
St. Louis city, MO 73.9 Serious +0.3
Jefferson County, TX 73.3 Serious -0.4
Marion County, IN 73.0 Serious -0.6
Cumberland County, NC 74.3 Serious +0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Escambia County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Escambia County.

COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE INVESTMENTS, INCORPORATED
PENSACOLA
850-595-6234-206 Website
Mortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
PENSACOLA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Pensacola
850-434-5456 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-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 Escambia 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 Escambia County, Florida?

    Escambia County has a County Distress Index score of 73.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 239th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Escambia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Escambia 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 Escambia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Escambia County (73.6) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Escambia County, AL (69.6); Baldwin County, AL (52.8); Santa Rosa County, FL (47.0).

  • 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). Escambia County's score of 73.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Escambia 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 Escambia County?

    Escambia County, Florida has a population of approximately 326,928 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.