Jefferson County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.4 | 15,450 people · 38th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Jefferson County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.4 — 677th 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 38th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

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

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.6
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 93
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Economic Vitality 70.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 33
Consumer Credit Distress 69.3
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 71
Housing Cost Burden 55.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 75
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 46
Legal Distress 31.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, FL 64.4 Elevated —
Brooks County, GA 81.0 Crisis +16.6
Thomas County, GA 75.5 Serious +11.1
Taylor County, FL 68.8 Serious +4.3
Leon County, FL 68.2 Serious +3.8
Madison County, FL 68.2 Serious +3.7
Wakulla County, FL 55.9 Elevated -8.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated -0.0
Walthall County, MS 64.4 Elevated -0.1
Milam County, TX 64.4 Elevated -0.1
Henry County, VA 64.4 Elevated -0.1
Macon County, TN 64.4 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Florida?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 64.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 677th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (64.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Brooks County, GA (81.0); Thomas County, GA (75.5); Taylor County, FL (68.8).

  • 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). Jefferson County's score of 64.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Florida has a population of approximately 15,450 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.