Okaloosa County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.6 | 218,464 people · 58th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Okaloosa County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.6 — 1296th 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 58th of 67 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Okaloosa County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.9 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 78
Economic Vitality 74.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Consumer Credit Distress 47.6
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 49
Legal Distress 44.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 45
Structural Poverty 32.9
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 28
Disability Rate 47
Transfer Income Dependency 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Okaloosa County
Okaloosa County, FL 54.6 Elevated —
Escambia County, AL 69.6 Serious +15.0
Covington County, AL 67.2 Serious +12.5
Walton County, FL 52.5 Elevated -2.1
Santa Rosa County, FL 47.0 Normal -7.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Okaloosa County
Spotsylvania County, VA 54.6 Elevated -0.0
St. Clair County, MI 54.5 Elevated -0.1
Pittsylvania County, VA 54.7 Elevated +0.1
Grady County, OK 54.5 Elevated -0.1
Tuolumne County, CA 54.9 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Okaloosa County

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 Okaloosa 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 Okaloosa County, Florida?

    Okaloosa County has a County Distress Index score of 54.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,296th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Okaloosa County?

    The primary driver of distress in Okaloosa County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Okaloosa County compare to neighboring counties?

    Okaloosa County (54.6) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Escambia County, AL (69.6); Covington County, AL (67.2); Walton County, FL (52.5).

  • 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 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). Okaloosa County's score of 54.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Okaloosa 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 Okaloosa County?

    Okaloosa County, Florida has a population of approximately 218,464 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.