Sagadahoc County, Maine

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.4 | 37,513 people · 12th most distressed in Maine
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Sagadahoc County, ME falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.4 — 2401st 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 12th of 16 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sagadahoc County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 70.5 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 70.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 66
House Price Change (YoY) 50
Housing Cost Burden 66.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 69
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 30
Consumer Credit Distress 26.2
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 1
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 9
Structural Poverty 17.3
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 12
Child Poverty Rate 14
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 25
Legal Distress 3.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 3

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sagadahoc County
Sagadahoc County, ME 36.4 Normal —
Androscoggin County, ME 55.0 Elevated +18.6
Kennebec County, ME 45.8 Normal +9.5
Cumberland County, ME 32.6 Healthy -3.8
Lincoln County, ME 28.4 Healthy -8.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sagadahoc County
Hubbard County, MN 36.4 Normal +0.0
Juneau County, WI 36.4 Normal +0.0
Gibson County, IN 36.4 Normal +0.0
Monroe County, WI 36.4 Normal -0.0
Miami County, KS 36.5 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Sagadahoc County has a County Distress Index score of 36.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,401st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Maine out of 16 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sagadahoc County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sagadahoc County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 70.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Sagadahoc County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sagadahoc County (36.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Androscoggin County, ME (55.0); Kennebec County, ME (45.8); Cumberland County, ME (32.6).

  • 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). Sagadahoc County's score of 36.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Sagadahoc 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 Sagadahoc County?

    Sagadahoc County, Maine has a population of approximately 37,513 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.