Santa Rosa County, Florida

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.0 | 203,162 people · 64th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Santa Rosa County, FL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.0 — 1776th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Florida, it ranks 64th of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Santa Rosa County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 62.8 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 62.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41
Business Formation Rate 14
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Legal Distress 55.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 55
Housing Cost Burden 51.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 69
Homeownership Rate 19
Consumer Credit Distress 46.5
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 37
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 43
Structural Poverty 27.0
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 8
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 46
Transfer Income Dependency 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County, FL 47.0 Normal —
Escambia County, FL 73.6 Serious +26.6
Escambia County, AL 69.6 Serious +22.6
Okaloosa County, FL 54.6 Elevated +7.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Santa Rosa County
Oconee County, SC 47.0 Normal -0.0
Jessamine County, KY 47.0 Normal +0.0
Boone County, MO 46.9 Normal -0.1
Montcalm County, MI 47.1 Normal +0.1
Lincoln County, MO 47.1 Normal +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Santa Rosa County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa County, Florida?

    Santa Rosa County has a County Distress Index score of 47.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,776th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Santa Rosa County?

    The primary driver of distress in Santa Rosa County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 62.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Santa Rosa County compare to neighboring counties?

    Santa Rosa County (47.0) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Escambia County, FL (73.6); Escambia County, AL (69.6); Okaloosa County, FL (54.6).

  • 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). Santa Rosa County's score of 47.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Santa Rosa County's CDI score?

    Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa County?

    Santa Rosa County, Florida has a population of approximately 203,162 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.