Martin County, Florida

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.3 | 163,315 people · 65th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Martin County, FL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.3 — 1879th 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 65th of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Martin County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 82.7 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 82.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 74
Homeownership Rate 18
Economic Vitality 76.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 3
House Price Change (YoY) 92
Legal Distress 37.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37
Structural Poverty 33.8
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 23
Child Poverty Rate 45
Disability Rate 33
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Consumer Credit Distress 26.5
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 15
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Martin County
Martin County, FL 45.3 Normal —
Hendry County, FL 77.7 Serious +32.3
St. Lucie County, FL 70.2 Serious +24.8
Glades County, FL 69.7 Serious +24.3
Okeechobee County, FL 68.3 Serious +23.0
Palm Beach County, FL 59.5 Elevated +14.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Martin County
Iredell County, NC 45.2 Normal -0.1
Worcester County, MD 45.1 Normal -0.2
Campbell County, KY 45.6 Normal +0.2
Grundy County, IL 45.1 Normal -0.3
Crawford County, PA 45.1 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Martin County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Martin County.

DEBT MANAGEMENT CREDIT COUNSELING CORP.
Stuart
866-618-3328 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 Martin 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 Martin County, Florida?

    Martin County has a County Distress Index score of 45.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,879th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 65th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Martin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Martin County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 82.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Martin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Martin County (45.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Hendry County, FL (77.7); St. Lucie County, FL (70.2); Glades County, FL (69.7).

  • 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 Normal 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). Martin County's score of 45.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Martin 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 Martin County?

    Martin County, Florida has a population of approximately 163,315 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.