Orleans County, New York

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.9 | 39,124 people · 13th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Orleans County, NY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.9 — 1462nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within New York, it ranks 13th of 62 counties. It scores higher than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Orleans County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 81.4 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 81.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 91
House Price Change (YoY) 3
Housing Cost Burden 65.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 82
Homeownership Rate 33
Structural Poverty 53.2
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 35
Income vs. State Median 63
Child Poverty Rate 36
Disability Rate 48
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Consumer Credit Distress 43.9
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 40
Credit Card Delinquency 65
Uninsured Rate 26
Subprime Credit Population 56
Legal Distress 21.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Orleans County
Orleans County, NY 51.9 Elevated —
Monroe County, NY 50.2 Elevated -1.6
Niagara County, NY 48.8 Normal -3.1
Genesee County, NY 38.9 Normal -13.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Orleans County
Montgomery County, IN 51.9 Elevated -0.0
San Juan County, UT 51.9 Elevated +0.0
Coles County, IL 51.9 Elevated +0.1
Dawson County, GA 51.8 Elevated -0.1
Greene County, IN 52.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Orleans 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 Orleans 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 Orleans County, New York?

    Orleans County has a County Distress Index score of 51.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,462nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Orleans County?

    The primary driver of distress in Orleans County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 81.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Orleans County compare to neighboring counties?

    Orleans County (51.9) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Monroe County, NY (50.2); Niagara County, NY (48.8); Genesee County, NY (38.9).

  • 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 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). Orleans County's score of 51.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Orleans 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 Orleans County?

    Orleans County, New York has a population of approximately 39,124 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.