Harford County, Maryland

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.5 | 264,644 people · 13th most distressed in Maryland
American Default Research

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Harford County, MD falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.5 — 1873rd 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 13th of 24 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Harford County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 80.0 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 80.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Housing Cost Burden 67.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 75
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 20
Economic Vitality 66.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 51
Consumer Credit Distress 35.3
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 41
Structural Poverty 12.3
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 4
Disability Rate 9
Transfer Income Dependency 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Harford County
Harford County, MD 45.5 Normal —
Baltimore County, MD 62.6 Elevated +17.1
Cecil County, MD 56.3 Elevated +10.8
Kent County, MD 46.4 Normal +0.9
York County, PA 46.1 Normal +0.6
Lancaster County, PA 42.5 Normal -2.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Harford County
Thurston County, WA 45.8 Normal +0.3
Middlesex County, NJ 46.0 Normal +0.5
Weber County, UT 44.9 Normal -0.6
York County, PA 46.1 Normal +0.6
Will County, IL 44.7 Normal -0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Harford County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Harford County.

Harford County, Maryland
Bel Air
410-638-3045
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase

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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 Harford 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Harford County has a County Distress Index score of 45.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,873rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Maryland out of 24 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Harford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Harford County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 80.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Harford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Harford County (45.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Baltimore County, MD (62.6); Cecil County, MD (56.3); Kent County, MD (46.4).

  • 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 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). Harford County's score of 45.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Harford 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 Harford County?

    Harford County, Maryland has a population of approximately 264,644 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.