Gulf County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.4 | 15,693 people · 52nd most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Gulf County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.4 — 1051st 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 52nd of 67 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Gulf County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 75.6 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 75.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Housing Cost Burden 73.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 18
Structural Poverty 67.1
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 68
Consumer Credit Distress 50.9
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 53
Legal Distress 23.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Gulf County
Gulf County, FL 58.4 Elevated —
Calhoun County, FL 75.5 Serious +17.1
Liberty County, FL 70.0 Serious +11.6
Bay County, FL 64.7 Elevated +6.3
Franklin County, FL 57.8 Elevated -0.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Gulf County
Lumpkin County, GA 58.4 Elevated +0.0
Gates County, NC 58.3 Elevated -0.0
Trigg County, KY 58.4 Elevated +0.1
Coshocton County, OH 58.4 Elevated +0.1
Bates County, MO 58.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gulf 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 Gulf 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 Gulf County, Florida?

    Gulf County has a County Distress Index score of 58.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,051st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gulf County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gulf County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 75.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Gulf County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gulf County (58.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, FL (75.5); Liberty County, FL (70.0); Bay County, FL (64.7).

  • 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 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). Gulf County's score of 58.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Gulf 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 Gulf County?

    Gulf County, Florida has a population of approximately 15,693 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.