Queens County, New York

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.8 | 2,252,196 people · 6th most distressed in New York
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Queens is the most ethnically diverse urban area in the world. It's also where New York's housing math hits hardest. Housing Cost Burden scores 91.9. Rent-to-income ratio: 99.8th percentile — virtually the highest in the country. Homeownership rate registers at the 99th percentile for burden, meaning almost no one can afford to buy. What makes Queens structurally different from Manhattan or Brooklyn is the income profile. Income & Poverty scores 39.7. Debt & Delinquency: 40.8. These are moderate numbers — not healthy, but not crisis-level. The distress is almost entirely concentrated in housing and employment. Wage-to-rent ratio hits the 99.7th percentile, meaning local wages cover local rent worse than nearly every county in America. The result is a borough where people work, earn, stay current on their debts, and still have almost nothing left after the rent check clears. The Bronx next door scores 77.7 (Serious). Kings County sits at 56.8. Richmond County (Staten Island) manages 47.1. Queens lands at 53.3, Elevated, ranking 1,346th nationally and 12th among New York's 62 counties. The composite hides the intensity. A county where housing consumes nearly everything doesn't register as a crisis because the people haven't defaulted yet. They're just stretched to the limit.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Queens County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 91.2 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 91.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 99
Economic Vitality 78.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Legal Distress 47.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47
Consumer Credit Distress 40.8
Debt in Collections 26
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 54
Subprime Credit Population 46
Structural Poverty 40.1
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 6
Transfer Income Dependency 48

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Queens County
Queens County, NY 55.8 Elevated —
Bronx County, NY 79.7 Serious +23.8
Kings County, NY 58.6 Elevated +2.8
Richmond County, NY 50.1 Elevated -5.7
New York County, NY 40.4 Normal -15.4
Monmouth County, NJ 39.3 Normal -16.5
Nassau County, NY 36.0 Normal -19.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Queens County
Sacramento County, CA 55.8 Elevated -0.0
Denton County, TX 56.5 Elevated +0.6
Mecklenburg County, NC 57.6 Elevated +1.8
Cook County, IL 57.7 Elevated +1.8
Los Angeles County, CA 58.3 Elevated +2.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Queens County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Queens County.

ASIAN AMERICANS FOR EQUALITY
FLUSHING
718-961-0888 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab
CHHAYA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Jackson Heights
718-478-3848 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase
CHHAYA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION-BRANCH OFFICE
South Richmond Hill
718-478-3848 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase
MARGERT COMMUNITY CORPORATION
Far Rockaway
718-471-3724 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF JAMAICA
Queens
718-291-7400
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Queens 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 Queens County, New York?

    Queens County has a County Distress Index score of 55.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,213th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Queens County?

    The primary driver of distress in Queens County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 91.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Queens County compare to neighboring counties?

    Queens County (55.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bronx County, NY (79.7); Kings County, NY (58.6); Richmond County, NY (50.1).

  • 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). Queens County's score of 55.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Queens 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 Queens County?

    Queens County, New York has a population of approximately 2,252,196 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.