Sumter County, Florida

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.2 | 151,565 people · 66th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Sumter County, FL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.2 — 2053rd 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 66th of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sumter County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.3 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 68
Homeownership Rate 1
Economic Vitality 60.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 40
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Structural Poverty 59.1
Unemployment Rate 99
Poverty Rate 18
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Legal Distress 22.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22
Consumer Credit Distress 20.4
Debt in Collections 18
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 12
Uninsured Rate 20
Subprime Credit Population 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sumter County
Sumter County, FL 42.2 Normal —
Polk County, FL 79.0 Serious +36.7
Marion County, FL 71.9 Serious +29.7
Hernando County, FL 70.1 Serious +27.9
Citrus County, FL 66.4 Serious +24.2
Pasco County, FL 65.2 Serious +23.0
Lake County, FL 65.0 Serious +22.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sumter County
Belknap County, NH 42.2 Normal +0.0
Butler County, KS 42.3 Normal +0.0
Montgomery County, VA 42.3 Normal +0.0
Benton County, WA 42.3 Normal +0.1
Scott County, KY 42.1 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sumter 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 Sumter 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 Sumter County, Florida?

    Sumter County has a County Distress Index score of 42.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,053rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 66th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sumter County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sumter County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Sumter County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sumter County (42.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Polk County, FL (79.0); Marion County, FL (71.9); Hernando County, FL (70.1).

  • 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). Sumter County's score of 42.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Sumter 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 Sumter County?

    Sumter County, Florida has a population of approximately 151,565 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.