Lake County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.0 | 424,462 people · 36th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Lake County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.0 — 641st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Florida, it ranks 36th of 67 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lake County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 84.7 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 84.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 38
Economic Vitality 79.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 7
House Price Change (YoY) 67
Legal Distress 79.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Consumer Credit Distress 56.9
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 56
Structural Poverty 43.6
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 26
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 24
Disability Rate 50
Transfer Income Dependency 51

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lake County
Lake County, FL 65.0 Serious —
Osceola County, FL 79.1 Serious +14.1
Polk County, FL 79.0 Serious +13.9
Orange County, FL 73.9 Serious +8.8
Marion County, FL 71.9 Serious +6.8
Volusia County, FL 69.8 Serious +4.7
Seminole County, FL 63.1 Elevated -1.9
Sumter County, FL 42.2 Normal -22.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lake County
Pasco County, FL 65.2 Serious +0.2
Stanislaus County, CA 64.5 Elevated -0.6
Galveston County, TX 64.4 Elevated -0.6
Lee County, FL 64.1 Elevated -0.9
Davidson County, TN 63.9 Elevated -1.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lake County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Lake County.

COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES OF MID-FLORIDA, INC. - TAVARES OFFICE
Tavares
386-255-6573 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
HOMES IN PARTNERSHIP, INC.
Eustis
407-886-2451 Website
Financial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Florida →

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 Lake 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 Lake County, Florida?

    Lake County has a County Distress Index score of 65.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 641st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lake County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lake County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 84.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lake County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lake County (65.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Osceola County, FL (79.1); Polk County, FL (79.0); Orange County, FL (73.9).

  • 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). Lake County's score of 65.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Lake 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 Lake County?

    Lake County, Florida has a population of approximately 424,462 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.