Sarasota County, Florida

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.0 | 469,013 people · 63rd most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Sarasota County, FL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.0 — 1716th 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 63rd 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. Sarasota County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 83.1 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 83.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 40
Economic Vitality 78.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 4
House Price Change (YoY) 96
Legal Distress 51.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 52
Structural Poverty 31.3
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 27
Disability Rate 45
Transfer Income Dependency 18
Consumer Credit Distress 29.9
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 32
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Uninsured Rate 65
Subprime Credit Population 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sarasota County
Sarasota County, FL 48.0 Normal —
DeSoto County, FL 74.9 Serious +26.9
Manatee County, FL 57.4 Elevated +9.4
Charlotte County, FL 55.4 Elevated +7.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sarasota County
Essex County, MA 48.0 Normal +0.1
Sussex County, DE 48.0 Normal +0.1
Spokane County, WA 47.7 Normal -0.3
Ramsey County, MN 47.6 Normal -0.3
Onondaga County, NY 47.6 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota County, Florida?

    Sarasota County has a County Distress Index score of 48.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,716th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 63rd in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sarasota County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sarasota County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 83.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Sarasota County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sarasota County (48.0) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: DeSoto County, FL (74.9); Manatee County, FL (57.4); Charlotte County, FL (55.4).

  • 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). Sarasota County's score of 48.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Sarasota 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 Sarasota County?

    Sarasota County, Florida has a population of approximately 469,013 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.