Jackson County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.3 | 48,622 people · 8th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Jackson County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.3 — 147th 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 8th of 67 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 8 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jackson County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 87.7 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 87.7
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 88
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Consumer Credit Distress 85.3
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 80
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 81
Economic Vitality 66.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 32
House Price Change (YoY) 86
Housing Cost Burden 62.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 70
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 50
Legal Distress 51.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 52

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, FL 76.3 Serious —
Gadsden County, FL 84.5 Crisis +8.2
Calhoun County, FL 75.5 Serious -0.8
Liberty County, FL 70.0 Serious -6.3
Geneva County, AL 69.2 Serious -7.1
Seminole County, GA 67.1 Serious -9.2
Houston County, AL 65.3 Serious -11.1
Washington County, FL 65.2 Serious -11.2
Bay County, FL 64.7 Elevated -11.6
Holmes County, FL 62.8 Elevated -13.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Danville city, VA 76.4 Serious +0.1
Ripley County, MO 76.4 Serious +0.1
Willacy County, TX 76.2 Serious -0.1
Meriwether County, GA 76.1 Serious -0.2
Dillon County, SC 76.0 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson 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 Jackson 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Jackson County, Florida?

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 76.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 147th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 87.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (76.3) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Gadsden County, FL (84.5); Calhoun County, FL (75.5); Liberty County, FL (70.0).

  • 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). Jackson County's score of 76.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, Florida has a population of approximately 48,622 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.