Allegany County, Maryland

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.4 | 67,273 people · 10th most distressed in Maryland
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Allegany County, MD registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.4 — 1134th 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 Maryland, it ranks 10th of 24 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Allegany County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 86.0 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 86.0
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 99
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 85
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Legal Distress 59.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Housing Cost Burden 57.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 46
Homeownership Rate 69
Consumer Credit Distress 50.3
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 40
Auto Loan Delinquency 42
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 9
Subprime Credit Population 51
Economic Vitality 48.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 97
House Price Change (YoY) 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Allegany County
Allegany County, MD 57.4 Elevated —
Washington County, MD 58.2 Elevated +0.9
Hampshire County, WV 42.9 Normal -14.5
Bedford County, PA 40.7 Normal -16.6
Mineral County, WV 40.3 Normal -17.1
Morgan County, WV 36.7 Normal -20.6
Somerset County, PA 35.9 Normal -21.4
Garrett County, MD 34.5 Healthy -22.8
Fulton County, PA 31.0 Healthy -26.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Allegany County
Allen County, OH 57.3 Elevated -0.1
Franklin County, KY 57.5 Elevated +0.1
Shasta County, CA 57.2 Elevated -0.1
Lamar County, MS 57.5 Elevated +0.2
Caldwell County, NC 57.6 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Allegany County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Allegany County.

ALLEGANY COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, INC
Cumberland
301-777-5970 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase

See all counselors in Maryland →

Find an Attorney

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

Maryland State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 410-685-7878

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Allegany County residents at no cost.

Maryland Legal Aid 410-539-5340
Community Law Center (Baltimore) 410-366-0922
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) 410-539-6800
Civil Justice (Baltimore) 410-706-0900

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 Maryland →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Allegany County, Maryland?

    Allegany County has a County Distress Index score of 57.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,134th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Maryland out of 24 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Allegany County?

    The primary driver of distress in Allegany County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 86.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Allegany County compare to neighboring counties?

    Allegany County (57.4) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Washington County, MD (58.2); Hampshire County, WV (42.9); Bedford County, PA (40.7).

  • 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). Allegany County's score of 57.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Allegany 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 Allegany County?

    Allegany County, Maryland has a population of approximately 67,273 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.