Charles County, Maryland

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.4 | 171,973 people · 8th most distressed in Maryland
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Charles County, MD registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.4 — 861st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Maryland, it ranks 8th of 24 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Charles County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 87.3 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 87.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 87
Economic Vitality 76.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 77
Consumer Credit Distress 66.9
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 11
Subprime Credit Population 81
Housing Cost Burden 62.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 14
Structural Poverty 16.6
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 6
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 8
Disability Rate 8
Transfer Income Dependency 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Charles County
Charles County, MD 61.4 Elevated —
Prince George's County, MD 73.5 Serious +12.1
Westmoreland County, VA 66.7 Serious +5.3
Prince William County, VA 48.5 Normal -12.9
Calvert County, MD 43.6 Normal -17.7
Stafford County, VA 43.0 Normal -18.4
King George County, VA 42.4 Normal -18.9
St. Mary's County, MD 40.8 Normal -20.6
Fairfax County, VA 30.0 Healthy -31.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Charles County
Livingston Parish, LA 61.3 Elevated -0.0
Pickens County, SC 61.4 Elevated +0.0
McMinn County, TN 61.4 Elevated +0.1
Rowan County, NC 61.2 Elevated -0.1
Bastrop County, TX 61.1 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Charles County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Charles County.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND TRI-COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION
Hughesville
301-274-4474 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-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 Charles 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 Charles County, Maryland?

    Charles County has a County Distress Index score of 61.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 861st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Maryland out of 24 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Charles County?

    The primary driver of distress in Charles County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 87.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Charles County compare to neighboring counties?

    Charles County (61.4) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Prince George's County, MD (73.5); Westmoreland County, VA (66.7); Prince William County, VA (48.5).

  • 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). Charles County's score of 61.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Charles 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 Charles County?

    Charles County, Maryland has a population of approximately 171,973 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.