Franklin County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.8 | 12,594 people · 53rd most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Franklin County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.8 — 1096th 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 53rd of 67 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.0 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.0
Unemployment Rate 86
Poverty Rate 71
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 72
Economic Vitality 64.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 9
Consumer Credit Distress 60.0
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 56
Credit Card Delinquency 46
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 59
Housing Cost Burden 53.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 63
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 34
Legal Distress 5.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, FL 57.8 Elevated —
Liberty County, FL 70.0 Serious +12.2
Gulf County, FL 58.4 Elevated +0.6
Wakulla County, FL 55.9 Elevated -1.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Pickens County, GA 57.8 Elevated +0.0
Lincoln County, KY 57.8 Elevated +0.0
Gallia County, OH 57.8 Elevated +0.0
Henderson County, TN 57.8 Elevated -0.0
Knox County, IL 57.8 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, Florida?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 57.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,096th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (57.8) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Liberty County, FL (70.0); Gulf County, FL (58.4); Wakulla County, FL (55.9).

  • 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). Franklin County's score of 57.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Florida has a population of approximately 12,594 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.