Pinellas County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.0 | 961,596 people · 47th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Pinellas County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.0 — 889th 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 47th of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 2 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pinellas County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 91.3 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 91.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 94
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 73
Economic Vitality 77.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Legal Distress 65.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Consumer Credit Distress 49.2
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 40
Auto Loan Delinquency 55
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 39
Structural Poverty 38.7
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 37
Disability Rate 46
Transfer Income Dependency 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pinellas County
Pinellas County, FL 61.0 Elevated —
Hillsborough County, FL 71.5 Serious +10.5
Pasco County, FL 65.2 Serious +4.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pinellas County
Brevard County, FL 61.0 Elevated +0.0
Cobb County, GA 61.0 Elevated +0.0
Hays County, TX 61.1 Elevated +0.1
Lehigh County, PA 61.2 Elevated +0.3
Spartanburg County, SC 61.2 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pinellas County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Pinellas County.

CLEARWATER NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES, INC.
Clearwater
727-442-4155
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
CONSUMER CREDIT AND BUDGET COUNSELING, DBA NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR DEBT MANAGEMENT
Clearwater
866-395-5769 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
ST. PETERSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES, INC.DBA NEIGHBORHOOD HOME SOLUTIONS
St Petersburg
727-821-6897 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
TAMPA BAY CDC dba SUNCOAST HOUSING CONNECTIONS
Clearwater
727-442-7075
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 Pinellas 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 Pinellas County, Florida?

    Pinellas County has a County Distress Index score of 61.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 889th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pinellas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pinellas County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 91.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Pinellas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pinellas County (61.0) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Hillsborough County, FL (71.5); Pasco County, FL (65.2).

  • 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). Pinellas County's score of 61.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Pinellas 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 Pinellas County?

    Pinellas County, Florida has a population of approximately 961,596 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.