Prince George's County, Maryland

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.5 | 947,430 people · 3rd most distressed in Maryland
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Prince George's County, MD shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.5 — 248th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Maryland, it ranks 3rd of 24 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Prince George's County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 91.1 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 91.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 90
Legal Distress 83.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Consumer Credit Distress 77.1
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 39
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 90
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 89
Economic Vitality 74.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 4
House Price Change (YoY) 61
Structural Poverty 26.4
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 29
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Prince George's County
Prince George's County, MD 73.5 Serious —
Charles County, MD 61.4 Elevated -12.1
District of Columbia, DC 53.5 Elevated -20.0
Alexandria city, VA 43.9 Normal -29.6
Calvert County, MD 43.6 Normal -29.9
Anne Arundel County, MD 40.9 Normal -32.6
Montgomery County, MD 40.3 Normal -33.2
Howard County, MD 34.2 Healthy -39.3
Fairfax County, VA 30.0 Healthy -43.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Prince George's County
Escambia County, FL 73.6 Serious +0.1
Jefferson County, TX 73.3 Serious -0.2
St. Louis city, MO 73.9 Serious +0.4
Marion County, IN 73.0 Serious -0.5
Cumberland County, NC 74.3 Serious +0.8

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Prince George's County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Prince George's County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Prince George's County.

CENTRO DE APOYO FAMILIAR (CAF) MD
Riverdale
301-328-3292 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
CENTRO DE APOYO FAMILIAR - CENTER FOR ASSISTANCE FAMILIES
Riverdale
301-328-3292 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
HOMEFREE-USA OF THE WASHINGTON DC METROPOLITAN AREA
Landover
301-891-8400 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
HOUSING INITIATIVE PARTNERSHIP, INC. (HIP)
Hyattsville
301-699-6262 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
HOUSING OPTIONS & PLANNING ENTERPRISES, INC.
Oxon Hill
301-567-3330
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Prince George's 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Prince George's County, Maryland?

    Prince George's County has a County Distress Index score of 73.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 248th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Maryland out of 24 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Prince George's County?

    The primary driver of distress in Prince George's County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 91.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Prince George's County compare to neighboring counties?

    Prince George's County (73.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Charles County, MD (61.4); District of Columbia, DC (53.5); Alexandria city, VA (43.9).

  • 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 Serious 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). Prince George's County's score of 73.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Prince George's County's CDI score?

    Prince George's 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 Prince George's County?

    Prince George's County, Maryland has a population of approximately 947,430 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.