Seminole County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.1 | 484,271 people · 42nd most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Seminole County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.1 — 768th 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 42nd of 67 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Seminole County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 92.5 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 92.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 87
Homeownership Rate 82
Legal Distress 78.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Economic Vitality 77.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 3
House Price Change (YoY) 87
Consumer Credit Distress 56.6
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 62
Subprime Credit Population 56
Structural Poverty 20.2
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 14
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 13
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Seminole County
Seminole County, FL 63.1 Elevated —
Orange County, FL 73.9 Serious +10.7
Volusia County, FL 69.8 Serious +6.6
Lake County, FL 65.0 Serious +1.9
Brevard County, FL 61.0 Elevated -2.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Seminole County
Pinal County, AZ 62.9 Elevated -0.2
Berkeley County, SC 63.5 Elevated +0.3
Guilford County, NC 63.6 Elevated +0.4
Baltimore County, MD 62.6 Elevated -0.6
Davidson County, TN 63.9 Elevated +0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Seminole County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Seminole County.

COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES OF MID-FLORIDA, INC. - SANFORD OFFICE
Lake Mary
386-255-6573 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SEMINOLE COUNTY APOPKA
Altamonte Springs
407-696-5855-2106 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Seminole 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 Seminole County, Florida?

    Seminole County has a County Distress Index score of 63.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 768th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Seminole County?

    The primary driver of distress in Seminole County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 92.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Seminole County compare to neighboring counties?

    Seminole County (63.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Orange County, FL (73.9); Volusia County, FL (69.8); Lake County, FL (65.0).

  • 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). Seminole County's score of 63.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Seminole 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 Seminole County?

    Seminole County, Florida has a population of approximately 484,271 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.