Merrimack County, New Hampshire

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.2 | 157,103 people · 7th most distressed in New Hampshire
American Default Research

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Merrimack County, NH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.2 — 2412th 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 New Hampshire, it ranks 7th of 10 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Merrimack County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 76.0 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 76.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 36
Housing Cost Burden 62.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 55
Legal Distress 23.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24
Consumer Credit Distress 22.8
Debt in Collections 20
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 17
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Uninsured Rate 16
Subprime Credit Population 20
Structural Poverty 19.3
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 6
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 5
Disability Rate 37
Transfer Income Dependency 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Merrimack County
Merrimack County, NH 36.2 Normal —
Sullivan County, NH 49.0 Normal +12.8
Strafford County, NH 45.9 Normal +9.7
Belknap County, NH 42.2 Normal +6.0
Hillsborough County, NH 41.6 Normal +5.4
Grafton County, NH 34.0 Healthy -2.2
Rockingham County, NH 30.7 Healthy -5.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Merrimack County
Washington County, PA 36.2 Normal 0.0
Johnson County, IA 36.1 Normal -0.1
Midland County, MI 36.3 Normal +0.1
Gallatin County, MT 36.3 Normal +0.1
Queen Anne's County, MD 36.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Merrimack County, New Hampshire?

    Merrimack County has a County Distress Index score of 36.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,412th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in New Hampshire out of 10 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Merrimack County?

    The primary driver of distress in Merrimack County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 76.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Merrimack County compare to neighboring counties?

    Merrimack County (36.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Sullivan County, NH (49.0); Strafford County, NH (45.9); Belknap County, NH (42.2).

  • 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). Merrimack County's score of 36.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Merrimack 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 Merrimack County?

    Merrimack County, New Hampshire has a population of approximately 157,103 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.