Strafford County, New Hampshire

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.9 | 133,243 people · 3rd most distressed in New Hampshire
American Default Research

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Strafford County, NH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.9 — 1854th 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 3rd of 10 counties. It scores higher 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. Strafford County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 84.3 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 84.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 97
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 30
Housing Cost Burden 83.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 80
Consumer Credit Distress 32.5
Debt in Collections 36
Medical Debt 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 27
Subprime Credit Population 27
Structural Poverty 22.0
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 15
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 9
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 13
Legal Distress 13.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Strafford County
Strafford County, NH 45.9 Normal —
Belknap County, NH 42.2 Normal -3.6
Merrimack County, NH 36.2 Normal -9.7
York County, ME 33.8 Healthy -12.1
Carroll County, NH 32.3 Healthy -13.6
Rockingham County, NH 30.7 Healthy -15.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Strafford County
Dickson County, TN 45.9 Normal -0.0
Kennebec County, ME 45.8 Normal -0.0
Tuscola County, MI 45.8 Normal -0.0
Santa Fe County, NM 45.9 Normal +0.1
Johnson County, MO 45.8 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

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

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Legal aid organizations serving Strafford County residents at no cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Strafford County has a County Distress Index score of 45.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,854th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in New Hampshire out of 10 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Strafford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Strafford County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 84.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Strafford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Strafford County (45.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Belknap County, NH (42.2); Merrimack County, NH (36.2); York County, ME (33.8).

  • 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). Strafford County's score of 45.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Strafford 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 Strafford County?

    Strafford County, New Hampshire has a population of approximately 133,243 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.