Plymouth County, Massachusetts

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.4 | 535,308 people · 8th most distressed in Massachusetts
American Default Research

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Plymouth County, MA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.4 — 1993rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Massachusetts, it ranks 8th of 14 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Plymouth County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 85.0 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 85.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 41
Housing Cost Burden 83.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 32
Legal Distress 31.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Consumer Credit Distress 24.8
Debt in Collections 21
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 20
Credit Card Delinquency 37
Uninsured Rate 1
Subprime Credit Population 32
Structural Poverty 21.0
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 21
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Plymouth County
Plymouth County, MA 43.4 Normal —
Bristol County, MA 55.8 Elevated +12.5
Suffolk County, MA 50.5 Elevated +7.2
Barnstable County, MA 39.1 Normal -4.3
Norfolk County, MA 35.3 Normal -8.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Plymouth County
Albany County, NY 43.5 Normal +0.1
Kent County, MI 43.5 Normal +0.1
Polk County, IA 43.6 Normal +0.2
Dutchess County, NY 43.7 Normal +0.3
Clark County, WA 43.1 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Plymouth County

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 Plymouth 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 Plymouth County, Massachusetts?

    Plymouth County has a County Distress Index score of 43.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,993rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Massachusetts out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Plymouth County?

    The primary driver of distress in Plymouth County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 85.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Plymouth County compare to neighboring counties?

    Plymouth County (43.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Bristol County, MA (55.8); Suffolk County, MA (50.5); Barnstable County, MA (39.1).

  • 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). Plymouth County's score of 43.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Plymouth 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 Plymouth County?

    Plymouth County, Massachusetts has a population of approximately 535,308 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.