Knox County, Maine

County Distress Index: Healthy · 34.0 | 40,977 people · 13th most distressed in Maine
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Knox County, ME ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 34.0 — 2525th 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 13th of 16 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Knox County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 75.3 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 75.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 41
House Price Change (YoY) 50
Housing Cost Burden 70.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 26
Structural Poverty 25.9
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 25
Disability Rate 22
Transfer Income Dependency 34
Consumer Credit Distress 15.8
Debt in Collections 18
Medical Debt 32
Auto Loan Delinquency 13
Credit Card Delinquency 7
Uninsured Rate 32
Subprime Credit Population 6
Legal Distress 4.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Knox County
Knox County, ME 34.0 Healthy —
Waldo County, ME 46.1 Normal +12.1
Hancock County, ME 42.4 Normal +8.4
Lincoln County, ME 28.4 Healthy -5.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Knox County
Fulton County, OH 34.0 Healthy 0.0
Ravalli County, MT 34.0 Healthy -0.0
Carbon County, WY 34.0 Healthy +0.0
Converse County, WY 34.1 Healthy +0.1
Blanco County, TX 33.9 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Knox 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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Pine Tree Legal Assistance 207-774-8211

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Knox County has a County Distress Index score of 34.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,525th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Maine out of 16 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Knox County?

    The primary driver of distress in Knox County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 75.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Knox County compare to neighboring counties?

    Knox County (34.0) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Waldo County, ME (46.1); Hancock County, ME (42.4); Lincoln County, ME (28.4).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Knox County's score of 34.0 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Knox 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 Knox County?

    Knox County, Maine has a population of approximately 40,977 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.