Suwannee County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.6 | 46,130 people · 33rd most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Suwannee County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.6 — 612th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Florida, it ranks 33rd of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Suwannee County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.6 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.6
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Consumer Credit Distress 76.3
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 80
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 80
Economic Vitality 63.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Legal Distress 53.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Housing Cost Burden 37.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Suwannee County
Suwannee County, FL 65.6 Serious —
Hamilton County, FL 74.9 Serious +9.3
Columbia County, FL 71.0 Serious +5.4
Madison County, FL 68.2 Serious +2.6
Lafayette County, FL 62.6 Elevated -3.0
Gilchrist County, FL 55.1 Elevated -10.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Suwannee County
Dixie County, FL 65.6 Serious +0.0
Howard County, TX 65.5 Serious -0.1
Amite County, MS 65.7 Serious +0.1
Lawrence County, KY 65.7 Serious +0.1
Pushmataha County, OK 65.4 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Suwannee 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 Suwannee 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 Suwannee County, Florida?

    Suwannee County has a County Distress Index score of 65.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 612th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 33rd in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Suwannee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Suwannee County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Suwannee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Suwannee County (65.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Hamilton County, FL (74.9); Columbia County, FL (71.0); Madison County, FL (68.2).

  • 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 Serious 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). Suwannee County's score of 65.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Suwannee 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 Suwannee County?

    Suwannee County, Florida has a population of approximately 46,130 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.