Walton County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.5 | 86,354 people · 60th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Walton County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.5 — 1427th 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 60th 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. Walton County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 69.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 69.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 34
Legal Distress 56.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 57
Economic Vitality 51.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 63
Consumer Credit Distress 51.2
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 85
Subprime Credit Population 48
Structural Poverty 27.5
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 28
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 29
Disability Rate 42
Transfer Income Dependency 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Walton County
Walton County, FL 52.5 Elevated —
Geneva County, AL 69.2 Serious +16.7
Covington County, AL 67.2 Serious +14.6
Washington County, FL 65.2 Serious +12.6
Bay County, FL 64.7 Elevated +12.2
Holmes County, FL 62.8 Elevated +10.3
Okaloosa County, FL 54.6 Elevated +2.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Walton County
Erie County, OH 52.5 Elevated +0.0
Autauga County, AL 52.5 Elevated -0.0
New Hanover County, NC 52.3 Elevated -0.3
Williamson County, IL 52.8 Elevated +0.3
St. Clair County, AL 52.2 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Walton 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 Walton 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 Walton County, Florida?

    Walton County has a County Distress Index score of 52.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,427th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 60th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Walton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Walton County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 69.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Walton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Walton County (52.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Geneva County, AL (69.2); Covington County, AL (67.2); Washington County, FL (65.2).

  • 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 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). Walton County's score of 52.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Walton 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 Walton County?

    Walton County, Florida has a population of approximately 86,354 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.