Ocean County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.3 | 659,197 people · 12th most distressed in New Jersey
American Default Research

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Ocean County, NJ falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.3 — 1755th 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 12th of 21 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ocean 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%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 18
Economic Vitality 77.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 25
Legal Distress 57.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Structural Poverty 45.6
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 34
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 38
Consumer Credit Distress 22.2
Debt in Collections 16
Medical Debt 24
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 10
Subprime Credit Population 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ocean County
Ocean County, NJ 47.3 Normal —
Atlantic County, NJ 66.9 Serious +19.6
Burlington County, NJ 49.4 Normal +2.0
Monmouth County, NJ 39.3 Normal -8.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ocean County
Cherokee County, GA 47.3 Normal +0.0
Ventura County, CA 47.3 Normal -0.0
Anchorage Municipality, AK 47.6 Normal +0.3
Onondaga County, NY 47.6 Normal +0.3
Ramsey County, MN 47.6 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ocean County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Ocean County.

OCEAN, INC. (OCEAN COMMUNITY ECONOMIC ACTION NOW, INC.)
Toms River
732-244-5333-1108 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Ocean 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 Ocean County, New Jersey?

    Ocean County has a County Distress Index score of 47.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,755th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ocean County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ocean 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 Ocean County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ocean County (47.3) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Atlantic County, NJ (66.9); Burlington County, NJ (49.4); Monmouth County, NJ (39.3).

  • 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 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). Ocean County's score of 47.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Ocean 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 Ocean County?

    Ocean County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 659,197 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.