Nassau County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.0 | 1,381,715 people · 56th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Nassau County is the least distressed county in New York State. Score: 29.3. Healthy zone. 62nd of 62. Income & Poverty registers at 1.2 — effectively no income-based distress. Poverty rate: 5.8%. Median household income double the state median. Debt collections, delinquency, medical debt — all bottom quartile. By the metrics that define financial crisis for most counties, Nassau barely registers. The housing domain doesn't fit the profile. At 73.3, it's the only domain above the 50th percentile, and it's not close. More than half of renters — 50.9% — are cost-burdened. For homeowners, 34.2% spend 30% or more on housing, 98.2nd percentile nationally. Bankruptcy filings run at 140 per 100,000 — above the national median despite bottom-decile poverty. The wealth that keeps Nassau's composite Healthy is real. So is the cost of maintaining it. The geography makes the contrast stark. The Bronx, one county border away, scores 77.7 — Serious zone, 21st most distressed county in the nation. Queens: 53.3, Elevated. Westchester: 37.0, Normal. Nassau is the endpoint of a distress gradient that drops 48 points between the Bronx and the Gold Coast. Same metro. Same economy. Completely different math.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Nassau County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 81.2 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 81.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 11
Economic Vitality 67.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 18
Legal Distress 56.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Consumer Credit Distress 14.4
Debt in Collections 9
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 14
Credit Card Delinquency 25
Uninsured Rate 7
Subprime Credit Population 19
Structural Poverty 5.4
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 1
Disability Rate 3
Transfer Income Dependency 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Nassau County
Nassau County, NY 36.0 Normal —
Bronx County, NY 79.7 Serious +43.6
Queens County, NY 55.8 Elevated +19.8
Suffolk County, NY 43.9 Normal +7.8
Westchester County, NY 41.0 Normal +5.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Nassau County
Hennepin County, MN 37.5 Normal +1.4
Oakland County, MI 38.1 Normal +2.0
Alameda County, CA 39.3 Normal +3.2
Middlesex County, MA 32.5 Healthy -3.6
Montgomery County, MD 40.3 Normal +4.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Nassau County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Nassau County.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF LONG ISLAND
Hempstead
631-471-1215 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase
FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S ASSOCIATION
Garden City
516-485-3425-2325 Website
Reverse Mortgage
HISPANIC BROTHERHOOD OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE, INC.
Rockville Centre
516-766-6610 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in New York →

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 Nassau 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Nassau County has a County Distress Index score of 36.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,419th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Nassau County?

    The primary driver of distress in Nassau County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 81.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Nassau County compare to neighboring counties?

    Nassau County (36.0) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Bronx County, NY (79.7); Queens County, NY (55.8); Suffolk County, NY (43.9).

  • 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). Nassau County's score of 36.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Nassau 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 Nassau County?

    Nassau County, New York has a population of approximately 1,381,715 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.