Manatee County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.4 | 441,095 people · 54th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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

Manatee County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.4 — 1132nd 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 54th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Manatee County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 86.8 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 86.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 49
Economic Vitality 79.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 4
House Price Change (YoY) 94
Legal Distress 52.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 52
Consumer Credit Distress 47.3
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 40
Structural Poverty 32.6
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 25
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Manatee County
Manatee County, FL 57.4 Elevated —
Polk County, FL 79.0 Serious +21.6
Hardee County, FL 78.6 Serious +21.2
DeSoto County, FL 74.9 Serious +17.5
Hillsborough County, FL 71.5 Serious +14.1
Sarasota County, FL 48.0 Normal -9.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Manatee County
Dauphin County, PA 57.1 Elevated -0.2
Solano County, CA 57.1 Elevated -0.3
Greene County, MO 57.7 Elevated +0.3
Cleveland County, OK 57.7 Elevated +0.4
Summit County, OH 56.9 Elevated -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Manatee County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Manatee County.

ROOTED COMMUNITIES, INC.
Sarasota
941-809-2231
Financial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
STEP UP SUNCOAST, INC. F/K/A MANATEE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY, INC.
Sarasota
941-827-0118 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase

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 Manatee 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 Manatee County, Florida?

    Manatee County has a County Distress Index score of 57.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,132nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Manatee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Manatee County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 86.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Manatee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Manatee County (57.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Polk County, FL (79.0); Hardee County, FL (78.6); DeSoto County, FL (74.9).

  • 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 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). Manatee County's score of 57.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Manatee 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 Manatee County?

    Manatee County, Florida has a population of approximately 441,095 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.