Worcester County, Maryland

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.1 | 54,171 people · 14th most distressed in Maryland
American Default Research

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Worcester County, MD falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.1 — 1889th 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 14th of 24 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Worcester County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.3 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 37
Economic Vitality 54.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 28
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 64
Structural Poverty 52.0
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 32
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 39
Legal Distress 47.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48
Consumer Credit Distress 26.8
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 22
Auto Loan Delinquency 25
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Uninsured Rate 24
Subprime Credit Population 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Worcester County
Worcester County, MD 45.1 Normal —
Somerset County, MD 73.8 Serious +28.6
Wicomico County, MD 69.7 Serious +24.5
Accomack County, VA 53.0 Elevated +7.9
Sussex County, DE 48.0 Normal +2.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Worcester County
Iredell County, NC 45.2 Normal +0.1
Grundy County, IL 45.1 Normal -0.1
Crawford County, PA 45.1 Normal -0.1
Aroostook County, ME 45.0 Normal -0.1
Washington County, VA 45.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Worcester County

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 Worcester 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Worcester County has a County Distress Index score of 45.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,889th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Maryland out of 24 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Worcester County?

    The primary driver of distress in Worcester County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Worcester County compare to neighboring counties?

    Worcester County (45.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Somerset County, MD (73.8); Wicomico County, MD (69.7); Accomack County, VA (53.0).

  • 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). Worcester County's score of 45.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Worcester 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 Worcester County?

    Worcester County, Maryland has a population of approximately 54,171 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.