Montgomery County, New York

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.6 | 49,368 people · 2nd most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Montgomery County, NY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.6 — 666th 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 York, it ranks 2nd of 62 counties. It scores higher 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. Montgomery County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.0 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 54
Homeownership Rate 73
Structural Poverty 70.0
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 67
Income vs. State Median 75
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 54
Transfer Income Dependency 75
Legal Distress 66.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Consumer Credit Distress 58.1
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 35
Subprime Credit Population 67
Economic Vitality 51.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, NY 64.6 Elevated —
Fulton County, NY 53.9 Elevated -10.7
Schenectady County, NY 53.7 Elevated -11.0
Herkimer County, NY 49.3 Normal -15.3
Schoharie County, NY 40.0 Normal -24.6
Otsego County, NY 36.8 Normal -27.8
Saratoga County, NY 30.9 Healthy -33.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Pierce County, GA 64.7 Elevated +0.0
Morgan County, KY 64.7 Elevated +0.0
Wharton County, TX 64.7 Elevated +0.0
Las Animas County, CO 64.6 Elevated -0.1
Adair County, KY 64.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, New York?

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 64.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 666th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (64.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Fulton County, NY (53.9); Schenectady County, NY (53.7); Herkimer County, NY (49.3).

  • 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 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). Montgomery County's score of 64.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Montgomery 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, New York has a population of approximately 49,368 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.