Saratoga County, New York

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.9 | 238,711 people · 61st most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Saratoga County, NY ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.9 — 2708th 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 61st of 62 counties. It scores lower than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Saratoga County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 65.8 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 65.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 66
House Price Change (YoY) 20
Housing Cost Burden 57.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 51
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 61
Legal Distress 49.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Consumer Credit Distress 15.1
Debt in Collections 15
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 14
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 1
Subprime Credit Population 21
Structural Poverty 8.5
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 12
Transfer Income Dependency 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Saratoga County
Saratoga County, NY 30.9 Healthy —
Montgomery County, NY 64.6 Elevated +33.7
Fulton County, NY 53.9 Elevated +23.0
Schenectady County, NY 53.7 Elevated +22.8
Washington County, NY 51.3 Elevated +20.4
Warren County, NY 48.4 Normal +17.5
Rensselaer County, NY 44.0 Normal +13.1
Albany County, NY 43.5 Normal +12.6
Hamilton County, NY 31.1 Healthy +0.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Saratoga County
Dodge County, WI 31.0 Healthy +0.1
Medina County, OH 30.7 Healthy -0.2
Windsor County, VT 31.1 Healthy +0.2
Eau Claire County, WI 30.7 Healthy -0.2
Washington County, RI 31.6 Healthy +0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Saratoga 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 Saratoga 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 Saratoga County, New York?

    Saratoga County has a County Distress Index score of 30.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,708th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 61st in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Saratoga County?

    The primary driver of distress in Saratoga County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 65.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Saratoga County compare to neighboring counties?

    Saratoga County (30.9) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Montgomery County, NY (64.6); Fulton County, NY (53.9); Schenectady County, NY (53.7).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Saratoga County's score of 30.9 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Saratoga 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 Saratoga County?

    Saratoga County, New York has a population of approximately 238,711 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.