Franklin County, Maine

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.2 | 30,828 people · 11th most distressed in Maine
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Franklin County, ME falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.2 — 2242nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Maine, it ranks 11th of 16 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 85.4 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 85.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 68
House Price Change (YoY) 91
Structural Poverty 62.9
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 38
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Housing Cost Burden 32.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 52
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 35
Consumer Credit Distress 31.7
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 39
Auto Loan Delinquency 15
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 23
Legal Distress 5.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, ME 39.2 Normal —
Androscoggin County, ME 55.0 Elevated +15.8
Somerset County, ME 50.6 Elevated +11.4
Oxford County, ME 47.9 Normal +8.8
Kennebec County, ME 45.8 Normal +6.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Trinity County, CA 39.2 Normal 0.0
Kanabec County, MN 39.2 Normal +0.0
Wyoming County, PA 39.3 Normal +0.1
Jasper County, IN 39.3 Normal +0.2
Morgan County, IL 39.0 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin County

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Maine State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Maine State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 207-622-7523

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Legal aid organizations serving Franklin County residents at no cost.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance 207-774-8211

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Franklin County, Maine?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 39.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,242nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Maine out of 16 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 85.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (39.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Androscoggin County, ME (55.0); Somerset County, ME (50.6); Oxford County, ME (47.9).

  • 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). Franklin County's score of 39.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Maine has a population of approximately 30,828 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.