Hernando County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.1 | 212,807 people · 21st most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Hernando County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.1 — 382nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Florida, it ranks 21st 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. Hernando County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 86.4 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 86.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Economic Vitality 82.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 89
Housing Cost Burden 74.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 11
Consumer Credit Distress 65.2
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 55
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 63
Structural Poverty 64.0
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 61
Child Poverty Rate 39
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 79

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hernando County
Hernando County, FL 70.1 Serious —
Citrus County, FL 66.4 Serious -3.7
Pasco County, FL 65.2 Serious -4.9
Sumter County, FL 42.2 Normal -27.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hernando County
Acadia Parish, LA 70.1 Serious -0.0
Vigo County, IN 70.3 Serious +0.1
Pottawatomie County, OK 70.3 Serious +0.2
Johnson County, TX 69.9 Serious -0.2
Navarro County, TX 69.8 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hernando 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 Hernando 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 Hernando County, Florida?

    Hernando County has a County Distress Index score of 70.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 382nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hernando County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hernando County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 86.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Hernando County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hernando County (70.1) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Citrus County, FL (66.4); Pasco County, FL (65.2); Sumter County, FL (42.2).

  • 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). Hernando County's score of 70.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Hernando 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 Hernando County?

    Hernando County, Florida has a population of approximately 212,807 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.