Rockingham County, New Hampshire

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.7 | 320,689 people · 10th most distressed in New Hampshire
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Rockingham County, NH ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.7 — 2723rd 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 10th of 10 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Rockingham County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 71.8 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 71.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Housing Cost Burden 68.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 26
Legal Distress 18.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18
Consumer Credit Distress 12.7
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 8
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Uninsured Rate 11
Subprime Credit Population 8
Structural Poverty 9.9
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 1
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Rockingham County
Rockingham County, NH 30.7 Healthy —
Essex County, MA 48.0 Normal +17.4
Strafford County, NH 45.9 Normal +15.2
Hillsborough County, NH 41.6 Normal +11.0
Merrimack County, NH 36.2 Normal +5.5
York County, ME 33.8 Healthy +3.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Rockingham County
St. Charles County, MO 30.1 Healthy -0.5
Forsyth County, GA 29.8 Healthy -0.9
DuPage County, IL 31.5 Healthy +0.9
San Mateo County, CA 29.7 Healthy -0.9
Washington County, MN 31.7 Healthy +1.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rockingham County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Rockingham County.

THE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP
Portsmouth
603-431-3620 Website
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Find an Attorney

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

New Hampshire Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 603-229-0002

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Rockingham County residents at no cost.

New Hampshire Legal Assistance 1-800-639-5290
603 Legal Aid 1-800-639-5290

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Rockingham County has a County Distress Index score of 30.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,723rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in New Hampshire out of 10 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rockingham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rockingham County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 71.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Rockingham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rockingham County (30.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Essex County, MA (48.0); Strafford County, NH (45.9); Hillsborough County, NH (41.6).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Rockingham County's score of 30.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Rockingham 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 Rockingham County?

    Rockingham County, New Hampshire has a population of approximately 320,689 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.