Bergen County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.3 | 957,736 people · 17th most distressed in New Jersey
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Bergen County, NJ falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.3 — 2103rd 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 New Jersey, it ranks 17th of 21 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bergen County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.7 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 83
Economic Vitality 65.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 20
Legal Distress 56.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 57
Consumer Credit Distress 21.4
Debt in Collections 11
Medical Debt 24
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 25
Uninsured Rate 31
Subprime Credit Population 18
Structural Poverty 10.8
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 3
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 3
Disability Rate 1
Transfer Income Dependency 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bergen County
Bergen County, NJ 41.3 Normal —
Bronx County, NY 79.7 Serious +38.4
Essex County, NJ 72.2 Serious +30.8
Passaic County, NJ 68.0 Serious +26.7
Hudson County, NJ 61.3 Elevated +20.0
Rockland County, NY 44.1 Normal +2.8
Westchester County, NY 41.0 Normal -0.3
New York County, NY 40.4 Normal -0.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bergen County
Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT 41.3 Normal +0.0
Santa Cruz County, CA 41.1 Normal -0.2
Hillsborough County, NH 41.6 Normal +0.3
Snohomish County, WA 41.0 Normal -0.3
Westchester County, NY 41.0 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bergen County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Bergen County.

COUNTY OF BERGEN, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES
Hackensack
201-336-7400 Website
Foreclosure Prevention
FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL OF NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Hackensack
201-489-3552 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFair HousingPre-PurchaseRental Help
GREATER BERGEN COMMUNITY ACTION, INC.
Hackensack
201-968-0200 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPost-Purchase

See all counselors in New Jersey →

Find an Attorney

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

New Jersey State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-792-8315

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Bergen County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of New Jersey 1-888-576-5529
Community Health Law Project
New Jersey State Bar Foundation — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-792-8315
Central Jersey Legal Services, Inc. (732) 249-7600
Essex-Newark Legal Services Project, Inc. (973) 624-4500
Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, Inc. (908) 231-0840
Northeast New Jersey Legal Services Corporation (201) 792-6363
South Jersey Legal Services, Inc. (800) 496-4570

Self-Help Resources

NJ Courts Foreclosure Self-Help Center Official NJ Courts self-help guidance on foreclosure proceedings

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 New Jersey →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Bergen County, New Jersey?

    Bergen County has a County Distress Index score of 41.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,103rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bergen County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bergen County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Bergen County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bergen County (41.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Bronx County, NY (79.7); Essex County, NJ (72.2); Passaic County, NJ (68.0).

  • 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). Bergen County's score of 41.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Bergen 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 Bergen County?

    Bergen County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 957,736 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.