Seneca County, New York

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.1 | 32,349 people · 10th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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

Seneca County, NY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.1 — 1395th 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 10th 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. Seneca County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 68.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 68.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 62
Structural Poverty 65.0
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 84
Child Poverty Rate 65
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 57
Economic Vitality 48.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 94
House Price Change (YoY) 15
Consumer Credit Distress 48.4
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 45
Legal Distress 19.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Seneca County
Seneca County, NY 53.1 Elevated —
Cayuga County, NY 44.2 Normal -8.8
Yates County, NY 43.3 Normal -9.8
Wayne County, NY 41.7 Normal -11.4
Tompkins County, NY 40.4 Normal -12.7
Schuyler County, NY 39.0 Normal -14.1
Ontario County, NY 35.9 Normal -17.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Seneca County
Stone County, AR 53.1 Elevated +0.0
Marion County, IL 53.1 Elevated +0.0
Amelia County, VA 53.1 Elevated +0.0
Accomack County, VA 53.0 Elevated -0.0
Marion County, KY 53.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Seneca 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 Seneca 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 Seneca County, New York?

    Seneca County has a County Distress Index score of 53.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,395th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Seneca County?

    The primary driver of distress in Seneca County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 68.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Seneca County compare to neighboring counties?

    Seneca County (53.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Cayuga County, NY (44.2); Yates County, NY (43.3); Wayne County, NY (41.7).

  • 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 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). Seneca County's score of 53.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Seneca 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 Seneca County?

    Seneca County, New York has a population of approximately 32,349 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.