Monmouth County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.3 | 642,799 people · 18th most distressed in New Jersey
American Default Research

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Monmouth County, NJ falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.3 — 2235th 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 18th of 21 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Monmouth County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 86.0 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 86.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 94
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 45
Economic Vitality 67.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 23
Legal Distress 47.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48
Consumer Credit Distress 17.7
Debt in Collections 12
Medical Debt 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 15
Credit Card Delinquency 21
Uninsured Rate 20
Subprime Credit Population 16
Structural Poverty 14.3
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 3
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 5
Disability Rate 7
Transfer Income Dependency 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Monmouth County
Monmouth County, NJ 39.3 Normal —
Queens County, NY 55.8 Elevated +16.5
Mercer County, NJ 55.4 Elevated +16.1
Richmond County, NY 50.1 Elevated +10.8
Burlington County, NJ 49.4 Normal +10.1
Ocean County, NJ 47.3 Normal +8.0
Middlesex County, NJ 46.0 Normal +6.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Monmouth County
Union County, NC 39.1 Normal -0.1
Washington County, OR 39.6 Normal +0.3
Lancaster County, NE 39.7 Normal +0.4
Kitsap County, WA 38.9 Normal -0.4
Frederick County, MD 38.8 Normal -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Monmouth County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Monmouth County.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALLIANCE, INC.
Eatontown
732-389-2958 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase
GARDEN STATE CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELING, INC. D/B/A/ NAVICORE SOLUTIONS
Manalapan
732-409-6281 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
NAVICORE SOLUTIONS - MANALAPAN, NJ
Manalapan
732-409-6281 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPost-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 Monmouth 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 Monmouth County, New Jersey?

    Monmouth County has a County Distress Index score of 39.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,235th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 18th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Monmouth County?

    The primary driver of distress in Monmouth County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 86.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Monmouth County compare to neighboring counties?

    Monmouth County (39.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Queens County, NY (55.8); Mercer County, NJ (55.4); Richmond County, NY (50.1).

  • 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). Monmouth County's score of 39.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Monmouth 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 Monmouth County?

    Monmouth County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 642,799 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.