Sussex County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.8 | 146,132 people · 16th most distressed in New Jersey
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Sussex County, NJ falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.8 — 2078th 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 16th of 21 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sussex County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.0 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 4
Economic Vitality 72.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 21
Legal Distress 62.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 62
Consumer Credit Distress 23.5
Debt in Collections 18
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 21
Credit Card Delinquency 34
Uninsured Rate 4
Subprime Credit Population 29
Structural Poverty 17.9
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 1
Disability Rate 10
Transfer Income Dependency 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sussex County
Sussex County, NJ 41.8 Normal —
Monroe County, PA 68.2 Serious +26.4
Passaic County, NJ 68.0 Serious +26.2
Pike County, PA 59.5 Elevated +17.7
Orange County, NY 54.5 Elevated +12.6
Warren County, NJ 43.8 Normal +2.0
Morris County, NJ 27.4 Healthy -14.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sussex County
Kendall County, IL 41.9 Normal +0.0
Nevada County, CA 41.9 Normal +0.1
Wayne County, NY 41.7 Normal -0.1
Bonneville County, ID 41.6 Normal -0.2
Whatcom County, WA 42.0 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sussex 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 Sussex 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 Sussex County, New Jersey?

    Sussex County has a County Distress Index score of 41.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,078th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sussex County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sussex County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Sussex County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sussex County (41.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Monroe County, PA (68.2); Passaic County, NJ (68.0); Pike County, PA (59.5).

  • 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). Sussex County's score of 41.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Sussex 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 Sussex County?

    Sussex County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 146,132 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.