St. Lawrence County, New York

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.0 | 106,940 people · 23rd most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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St. Lawrence County, NY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.0 — 1576th 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 23rd of 62 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Lawrence County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.3 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 64
Structural Poverty 73.4
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 67
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Economic Vitality 39.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 88
House Price Change (YoY) 24
Consumer Credit Distress 36.0
Debt in Collections 40
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 29
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 28
Subprime Credit Population 46
Legal Distress 28.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County, NY 50.0 Elevated —
Jefferson County, NY 51.6 Elevated +1.6
Herkimer County, NY 49.3 Normal -0.7
Franklin County, NY 42.7 Normal -7.3
Lewis County, NY 35.4 Normal -14.6
Hamilton County, NY 31.1 Healthy -18.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Lawrence County
Fremont County, CO 50.0 Elevated -0.0
Sumner County, TN 50.0 Elevated +0.0
Riley County, KS 50.0 Elevated -0.0
Haywood County, NC 50.0 Normal -0.0
Pender County, NC 50.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Lawrence County as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Lawrence 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 St. Lawrence 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 St. Lawrence County, New York?

    St. Lawrence County has a County Distress Index score of 50.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,576th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Lawrence County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Lawrence County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does St. Lawrence County compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Lawrence County (50.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, NY (51.6); Herkimer County, NY (49.3); Franklin County, NY (42.7).

  • 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). St. Lawrence County's score of 50.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power St. Lawrence County's CDI score?

    St. Lawrence 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 St. Lawrence County?

    St. Lawrence County, New York has a population of approximately 106,940 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.