Cumberland County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Serious · 78.8 | 152,326 people · 1st most distressed in New Jersey
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Cumberland County, NJ shows significant household financial distress with a score of 78.8 — 87th 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 1st of 21 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. Cumberland County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 95.4 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 95.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 83
Legal Distress 88.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Economic Vitality 77.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 97
Business Formation Rate 37
House Price Change (YoY) 23
Structural Poverty 75.6
Unemployment Rate 97
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 99
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Consumer Credit Distress 70.8
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 22
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 86

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cumberland County
Cumberland County, NJ 78.8 Serious —
Kent County, DE 71.4 Serious -7.5
Atlantic County, NJ 66.9 Serious -12.0
Salem County, NJ 64.8 Elevated -14.1
Gloucester County, NJ 53.0 Elevated -25.9
Cape May County, NJ 47.3 Normal -31.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cumberland County
Orangeburg County, SC 78.7 Serious -0.1
Liberty County, GA 79.0 Serious +0.2
Robeson County, NC 79.6 Serious +0.8
Lowndes County, GA 79.7 Serious +0.8
Douglas County, GA 78.0 Serious -0.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cumberland County

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 Cumberland 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Cumberland County has a County Distress Index score of 78.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 87th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cumberland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cumberland County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 95.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cumberland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cumberland County (78.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Kent County, DE (71.4); Atlantic County, NJ (66.9); Salem County, NJ (64.8).

  • 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 Serious 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). Cumberland County's score of 78.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Cumberland 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 Cumberland County?

    Cumberland County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 152,326 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.