Leon County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.2 | 296,913 people · 28th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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

Leon County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.2 — 477th 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 28th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Leon County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 95.9 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 95.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 65.8
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 75
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 46
Subprime Credit Population 74
Economic Vitality 57.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Legal Distress 54.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Structural Poverty 46.5
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 55
Disability Rate 19
Transfer Income Dependency 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Leon County
Leon County, FL 68.2 Serious —
Gadsden County, FL 84.5 Crisis +16.3
Grady County, GA 80.4 Crisis +12.2
Thomas County, GA 75.5 Serious +7.3
Liberty County, FL 70.0 Serious +1.8
Jefferson County, FL 64.4 Elevated -3.8
Wakulla County, FL 55.9 Elevated -12.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Leon County
Genesee County, MI 68.0 Serious -0.2
Passaic County, NJ 68.0 Serious -0.2
Gwinnett County, GA 68.5 Serious +0.3
Merced County, CA 67.7 Serious -0.5
Milwaukee County, WI 67.6 Serious -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Leon County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Leon County.

TALLAHASSEE LENDERS CONSORTIUM, INC.
Tallahassee
850-222-6609 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase
TALLAHASSEE URBAN LEAGUE, INC
Tallahassee
850-222-6111 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Leon 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 Leon County, Florida?

    Leon County has a County Distress Index score of 68.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 477th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Leon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Leon County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 95.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Leon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Leon County (68.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Gadsden County, FL (84.5); Grady County, GA (80.4); Thomas County, GA (75.5).

  • 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). Leon County's score of 68.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Leon 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 Leon County?

    Leon County, Florida has a population of approximately 296,913 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.