Marion County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.9 | 409,959 people · 16th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Marion County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.9 — 320th 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 16th of 67 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Marion County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.0 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 37
Structural Poverty 74.7
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 56
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Economic Vitality 72.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 7
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Consumer Credit Distress 71.4
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 69
Legal Distress 60.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Marion County, FL 71.9 Serious —
Putnam County, FL 75.1 Serious +3.2
Volusia County, FL 69.8 Serious -2.1
Citrus County, FL 66.4 Serious -5.5
Lake County, FL 65.0 Serious -6.8
Levy County, FL 63.9 Elevated -8.0
Alachua County, FL 60.5 Elevated -11.4
Sumter County, FL 42.2 Normal -29.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Jefferson County, AL 72.2 Serious +0.3
Essex County, NJ 72.2 Serious +0.3
Bell County, TX 72.5 Serious +0.6
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA 72.6 Serious +0.7
McLennan County, TX 71.1 Serious -0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marion County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Marion County.

COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES OF MID-FLORIDA, INC. - OCALA OFFICE
Ocala
386-255-6573 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
OCALA HOUSING AUTHORITY
Ocala
352-369-2636 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 Marion 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 Marion County, Florida?

    Marion County has a County Distress Index score of 71.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 320th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marion County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marion County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Marion County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marion County (71.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Putnam County, FL (75.1); Volusia County, FL (69.8); Citrus County, FL (66.4).

  • 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). Marion County's score of 71.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Marion 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 Marion County?

    Marion County, Florida has a population of approximately 409,959 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.