Orange County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.9 | 1,471,416 people · 13th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Orange County is Orlando. The theme parks, the convention center, the tourism engine that draws tens of millions of visitors a year. Business applications pour in at the 99.2nd percentile rate — more entrepreneurship per capita than virtually anywhere. The Income & Poverty domain scores a moderate 32.1. But the Elevated composite of 59.5 tells the story of what happens between the job creation and the paycheck. Housing Cost Burden hits 94.5. More than 55% of renters are cost-burdened, 98.7th percentile. Owners at 30.3%, 90th percentile. The tourism economy creates enormous volumes of service-sector employment, and service-sector wages in a housing market inflated by vacation demand and investor purchases produce a structural mismatch. Credit card delinquency runs at the 81st percentile. Auto loan delinquency: 76th. Medical debt affects 6.0% of residents, with 12.3% uninsured. The debt layers on top of the housing burden because there's no buffer between the two. Every neighbor scores worse. Polk County: 66.5 (Serious). Volusia: 65.8. Osceola: 61.8. Orange County is the economic center of a region where surrounding counties absorb the housing overflow and register higher distress. The tourism economy radiates outward. The financial stability doesn't.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Orange County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 95.3 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 95.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 94
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 76.5
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 81
Economic Vitality 75.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Legal Distress 74.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Structural Poverty 28.2
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 36
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Orange County
Orange County, FL 73.9 Serious —
Osceola County, FL 79.1 Serious +5.3
Polk County, FL 79.0 Serious +5.1
Volusia County, FL 69.8 Serious -4.1
Lake County, FL 65.0 Serious -8.8
Seminole County, FL 63.1 Elevated -10.7
Brevard County, FL 61.0 Elevated -12.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Orange County
Dallas County, TX 73.7 Serious -0.2
Philadelphia County, PA 73.5 Serious -0.3
Bexar County, TX 73.2 Serious -0.7
Tarrant County, TX 72.6 Serious -1.3
Wayne County, MI 76.2 Serious +2.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Orange County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Orange County.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
Orlando
407-658-1818 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES OF MID-FLORIDA, INC.
Orlando
386-255-6573 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
CONSUMER DEBT COUNSELORS, INC
Winter Park
800-820-9232
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFair Housing
GREENPATH FINANCIAL WELLNESS
Orlando
813-374-2251 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase
H.E.L.P. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP.
Eatonville
407-628-4832 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 Orange 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 Orange County, Florida?

    Orange County has a County Distress Index score of 73.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 230th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Orange County?

    The primary driver of distress in Orange County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 95.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Orange County compare to neighboring counties?

    Orange County (73.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Osceola County, FL (79.1); Polk County, FL (79.0); Volusia County, FL (69.8).

  • 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). Orange County's score of 73.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Orange 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 Orange County?

    Orange County, Florida has a population of approximately 1,471,416 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.