Cattaraugus County, New York

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.5 | 75,600 people · 16th most distressed in New York
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Cattaraugus County, NY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.5 — 1484th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within New York, it ranks 16th of 62 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cattaraugus County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.2 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.2
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 67
Housing Cost Burden 60.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 64
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 49
Consumer Credit Distress 46.2
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 32
Subprime Credit Population 47
Economic Vitality 44.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 94
House Price Change (YoY) 12
Legal Distress 23.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County, NY 51.5 Elevated —
Chautauqua County, NY 51.6 Elevated +0.1
McKean County, PA 47.8 Normal -3.7
Erie County, NY 46.4 Normal -5.1
Allegany County, NY 44.6 Normal -6.9
Warren County, PA 36.9 Normal -14.6
Wyoming County, NY 22.9 Healthy -28.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cattaraugus County
Woodbury County, IA 51.5 Elevated +0.0
Shiawassee County, MI 51.5 Elevated -0.0
Wood County, WV 51.5 Elevated -0.0
Chautauqua County, NY 51.6 Elevated +0.1
Pottawattamie County, IA 51.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cattaraugus County

Find an Attorney

New York State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

New York State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-342-3661

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Cattaraugus County residents at no cost.

Legal Services NYC 1-917-661-4500
Legal Aid Society 1-212-577-3300
Empire Justice Center 1-585-454-4060
Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York 1-800-462-2922
Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc. (877) 777-6152
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (585) 325-2520
Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (877) 574-8529
Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee, Inc. (631) 232-2400
Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. (716) 847-0650

Self-Help Resources

NYCourts.gov Foreclosure Help Official court system page with information about the foreclosure process, settlement conferences, and available resources. Includes court forms and instructions for pro se litigants.
LawHelp NY — Foreclosure Resources Comprehensive self-help legal information portal for New York residents. Includes foreclosure guides, court form generators, and legal services finder organized by county.

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 York →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Cattaraugus County, New York?

    Cattaraugus County has a County Distress Index score of 51.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,484th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cattaraugus County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cattaraugus County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Cattaraugus County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cattaraugus County (51.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Chautauqua County, NY (51.6); McKean County, PA (47.8); Erie County, NY (46.4).

  • 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). Cattaraugus County's score of 51.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cattaraugus 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 Cattaraugus County?

    Cattaraugus County, New York has a population of approximately 75,600 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.