Burlington County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.4 | 469,167 people · 11th most distressed in New Jersey
American Default Research

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Burlington County, NJ falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.4 — 1615th 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 11th of 21 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Burlington County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 83.1 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 83.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 91
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 43
Legal Distress 67.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Economic Vitality 55.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 82
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 27
Consumer Credit Distress 37.4
Debt in Collections 32
Medical Debt 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 49
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Uninsured Rate 6
Subprime Credit Population 43
Structural Poverty 21.9
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 3
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 5
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Burlington County
Burlington County, NJ 49.4 Normal —
Philadelphia County, PA 73.5 Serious +24.2
Camden County, NJ 67.3 Serious +17.9
Atlantic County, NJ 66.9 Serious +17.5
Mercer County, NJ 55.4 Elevated +6.0
Ocean County, NJ 47.3 Normal -2.0
Monmouth County, NJ 39.3 Normal -10.1
Bucks County, PA 34.7 Healthy -14.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Burlington County
Denver County, CO 49.7 Normal +0.3
Williamson County, TX 49.7 Normal +0.3
St. Louis County, MO 49.0 Normal -0.4
Collier County, FL 49.8 Normal +0.5
Worcester County, MA 48.9 Normal -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Burlington County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Burlington County.

OPERATION HOPE- CAMDEN NJ BRANCH
Mount Laurel
267-539-8535 Website

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 Burlington 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 Burlington County, New Jersey?

    Burlington County has a County Distress Index score of 49.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,615th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Burlington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Burlington County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 83.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Burlington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Burlington County (49.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Philadelphia County, PA (73.5); Camden County, NJ (67.3); Atlantic County, NJ (66.9).

  • 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). Burlington County's score of 49.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Burlington 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 Burlington County?

    Burlington County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 469,167 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.