Gilchrist County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.1 | 19,587 people · 57th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Gilchrist County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.1 — 1261st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Florida, it ranks 57th of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Gilchrist County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 81.9 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 81.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 23
House Price Change (YoY) 90
Structural Poverty 70.9
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 84
Child Poverty Rate 57
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 68
Consumer Credit Distress 67.2
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 29
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 88
Subprime Credit Population 78
Legal Distress 42.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42
Housing Cost Burden 13.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 16
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 26
Homeownership Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Gilchrist County
Gilchrist County, FL 55.1 Elevated —
Columbia County, FL 71.0 Serious +15.9
Dixie County, FL 65.6 Serious +10.5
Suwannee County, FL 65.6 Serious +10.4
Levy County, FL 63.9 Elevated +8.8
Lafayette County, FL 62.6 Elevated +7.4
Alachua County, FL 60.5 Elevated +5.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Gilchrist County
Monroe County, GA 55.2 Elevated +0.0
Benton County, TN 55.1 Elevated -0.0
Caroline County, VA 55.2 Elevated +0.0
Shelby County, IN 55.1 Elevated -0.0
White County, GA 55.1 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gilchrist 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 Gilchrist 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 Gilchrist County, Florida?

    Gilchrist County has a County Distress Index score of 55.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,261st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 57th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gilchrist County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gilchrist County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 81.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Gilchrist County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gilchrist County (55.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Columbia County, FL (71.0); Dixie County, FL (65.6); Suwannee County, FL (65.6).

  • 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). Gilchrist County's score of 55.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Gilchrist 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 Gilchrist County?

    Gilchrist County, Florida has a population of approximately 19,587 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.