Essex County, Massachusetts

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.0 | 810,089 people · 7th most distressed in Massachusetts
American Default Research

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Essex County, MA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.0 — 1712th 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 Massachusetts, it ranks 7th of 14 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Essex County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 94.7 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 94.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 87
Economic Vitality 84.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 35
Structural Poverty 28.8
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 17
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 22
Disability Rate 17
Transfer Income Dependency 11
Consumer Credit Distress 28.6
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 22
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Uninsured Rate 1
Subprime Credit Population 33
Legal Distress 22.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Essex County
Essex County, MA 48.0 Normal —
Suffolk County, MA 50.5 Elevated +2.5
Hillsborough County, NH 41.6 Normal -6.4
Middlesex County, MA 32.5 Healthy -15.6
Rockingham County, NH 30.7 Healthy -17.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Essex County
Sussex County, DE 48.0 Normal +0.0
Sarasota County, FL 48.0 Normal -0.1
Spokane County, WA 47.7 Normal -0.4
Ramsey County, MN 47.6 Normal -0.4
Onondaga County, NY 47.6 Normal -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Essex County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Essex County.

ACT LAWRENCE, INC FORMERLY ARLINGTON COMMUNITY TRABAJANDO, INC
Lawrence
978-685-6274 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
CENTRO DE APOYO FAMILIAR (CAF)-MA
Lawrence
301-328-3292 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFair Housing
LAWRENCE COMMUNITYWORKS, INC.
Lawrence
978-685-3115 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
NSC (NACA COUNSELING SUBSIDIARY) - LAWRENCE, MA
Lawrence
978-687-3993-1385 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Massachusetts →

Find an Attorney

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

Massachusetts Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 617-654-0400 (Boston); 1-800-392-6164 (statewide)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Essex County residents at no cost.

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) 617-603-1700
Massachusetts Legal Aid (MLA) — Statewide Hotline 617-603-1700 (GBLS); see MassLegalHelp.org for regional offices
South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS) 508-979-7150 (New Bedford); 508-775-7020 (Hyannis)
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau 617-495-4408
Community Legal Aid, Inc. (508) 752-3718
Northeast Legal Aid, Inc. (978) 458-1465
Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association (617) 603-1700

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 Massachusetts →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Essex County, Massachusetts?

    Essex County has a County Distress Index score of 48.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,712th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Massachusetts out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Essex County?

    The primary driver of distress in Essex County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 94.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Essex County compare to neighboring counties?

    Essex County (48.0) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Suffolk County, MA (50.5); Hillsborough County, NH (41.6); Middlesex County, MA (32.5).

  • 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 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). Essex County's score of 48.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Essex 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 Essex County?

    Essex County, Massachusetts has a population of approximately 810,089 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.