Gloucester County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.0 | 308,423 people · 10th most distressed in New Jersey
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Gloucester County, NJ registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.0 — 1405th 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 10th of 21 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Gloucester County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.7 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 91
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 22
Legal Distress 73.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Economic Vitality 69.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 36
House Price Change (YoY) 32
Consumer Credit Distress 40.3
Debt in Collections 36
Medical Debt 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 44
Credit Card Delinquency 50
Uninsured Rate 10
Subprime Credit Population 49
Structural Poverty 29.6
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 10
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Gloucester County
Gloucester County, NJ 53.0 Elevated —
Cumberland County, NJ 78.8 Serious +25.9
Philadelphia County, PA 73.5 Serious +20.6
Camden County, NJ 67.3 Serious +14.3
Atlantic County, NJ 66.9 Serious +13.9
Salem County, NJ 64.8 Elevated +11.8
New Castle County, DE 61.7 Elevated +8.7
Delaware County, PA 55.2 Elevated +2.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Gloucester County
Northampton County, PA 53.0 Elevated +0.1
Baldwin County, AL 52.8 Elevated -0.1
Monterey County, CA 53.1 Elevated +0.1
Butler County, OH 53.1 Elevated +0.1
Stark County, OH 52.8 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gloucester County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Gloucester County.

FINANCIAL WELLNESS INSTITUTE INC
Woodbury
856-251-0311 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Lease/Pre-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 Gloucester 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Gloucester County has a County Distress Index score of 53.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,405th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gloucester County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gloucester County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Gloucester County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gloucester County (53.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Cumberland County, NJ (78.8); Philadelphia County, PA (73.5); Camden County, NJ (67.3).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Gloucester County's score of 53.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Gloucester 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 Gloucester County?

    Gloucester County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 308,423 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.