Suffolk County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.9 | 1,523,170 people · 36th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Suffolk County scores 35.1, Normal zone. Poverty rate: 7.0%, sitting at just the 3.8th percentile for distress. Median household income runs 80% above the state median. Debt collections, medical debt, credit card delinquency — all low. By conventional economic measures, eastern Long Island is one of the least distressed large counties in America. The housing numbers tell a different story. More than a third of homeowners — 35.5% — spend 30% or more of their income on housing. That's the 99.4th percentile nationally. For renters: 54.5% are cost-burdened, 98th percentile. And bankruptcy filings run at 201 per 100,000, in the top quarter nationally. A county with near-zero poverty generating bankruptcy filings at that rate is a county where the distress isn't about income. It's about fixed costs that income can't outrun. Nassau County, immediately to the west, scores Healthy at 29.3. The two Long Island counties share a housing cost problem but differ on scale — Nassau's higher incomes stretch further. Suffolk households earn enough to stay out of poverty. They don't earn enough to make Long Island housing math work without strain.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Suffolk County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 84.9 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 84.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 11
Economic Vitality 75.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 23
House Price Change (YoY) 30
Legal Distress 75.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Consumer Credit Distress 23.5
Debt in Collections 19
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 21
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Uninsured Rate 13
Subprime Credit Population 32
Structural Poverty 9.3
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Suffolk County
Suffolk County, NY 43.9 Normal —
Nassau County, NY 36.0 Normal -7.8
Washington County, RI 31.6 Healthy -12.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Suffolk County
Orange County, CA 44.1 Normal +0.3
Wake County, NC 43.4 Normal -0.4
Contra Costa County, CA 43.4 Normal -0.5
Allegheny County, PA 41.6 Normal -2.3
New York County, NY 40.4 Normal -3.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Suffolk County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Suffolk County.

AMERICAN DEBT RESOURCES
Melville
631-651-2634 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
CENTRAL ISLIP CIVIC COUNCIL, INC.
Central Islip
631-348-0669
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF LONG ISLAND dba Community Development Long Island
Melville
631-471-1215 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
COMMUNITY HOUSING INNOVATIONS, INC.
PATCHOGUE
631-475-6390-225 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL OF SUFFOLK, INC.
Patchogue
631-289-2124 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase

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 Suffolk 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 Suffolk County, New York?

    Suffolk County has a County Distress Index score of 43.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,965th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Suffolk County?

    The primary driver of distress in Suffolk County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 84.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Suffolk County compare to neighboring counties?

    Suffolk County (43.9) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Nassau County, NY (36.0); Washington County, RI (31.6).

  • 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 Normal 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). Suffolk County's score of 43.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Suffolk 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 Suffolk County?

    Suffolk County, New York has a population of approximately 1,523,170 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.