Hunterdon County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Healthy · 26.3 | 130,183 people · 21st most distressed in New Jersey
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Hunterdon County, NJ ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 26.3 — 2919th 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 Jersey, it ranks 21st of 21 counties. It scores lower 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. Hunterdon County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 67.0 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 67.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 22
Housing Cost Burden 66.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 4
Legal Distress 29.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 29
Structural Poverty 8.5
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 1
Disability Rate 3
Transfer Income Dependency 3
Consumer Credit Distress 4.3
Debt in Collections 1
Medical Debt 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 1
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 1
Subprime Credit Population 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hunterdon County
Hunterdon County, NJ 26.3 Healthy —
Mercer County, NJ 55.4 Elevated +29.1
Warren County, NJ 43.8 Normal +17.6
Bucks County, PA 34.7 Healthy +8.4
Somerset County, NJ 33.7 Healthy +7.4
Morris County, NJ 27.4 Healthy +1.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hunterdon County
Sheboygan County, WI 26.3 Healthy +0.0
Livingston County, MI 26.6 Healthy +0.3
Burleigh County, ND 26.8 Healthy +0.5
Otter Tail County, MN 26.8 Healthy +0.5
Manitowoc County, WI 25.6 Healthy -0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hunterdon 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 Hunterdon 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 Hunterdon County, New Jersey?

    Hunterdon County has a County Distress Index score of 26.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,919th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hunterdon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hunterdon County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 67.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Hunterdon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hunterdon County (26.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Mercer County, NJ (55.4); Warren County, NJ (43.8); Bucks County, PA (34.7).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Hunterdon County's score of 26.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Hunterdon 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 Hunterdon County?

    Hunterdon County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 130,183 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.