Sullivan County, New York

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.3 | 79,920 people · 5th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Sullivan County, NY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.3 — 1180th 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 5th 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. Sullivan County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.3 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 73
Economic Vitality 57.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 65
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 66
Structural Poverty 54.6
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 53
Transfer Income Dependency 56
Consumer Credit Distress 47.9
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 63
Legal Distress 42.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sullivan County
Sullivan County, NY 56.3 Elevated —
Pike County, PA 59.5 Elevated +3.2
Orange County, NY 54.5 Elevated -1.9
Ulster County, NY 48.9 Normal -7.5
Delaware County, NY 43.6 Normal -12.7
Wayne County, PA 43.4 Normal -12.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sullivan County
Belmont County, OH 56.3 Elevated -0.0
Coffee County, AL 56.3 Elevated -0.0
Cecil County, MD 56.3 Elevated -0.1
Carbon County, PA 56.2 Elevated -0.1
Lincoln County, OR 56.5 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sullivan 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 Sullivan 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 Sullivan County, New York?

    Sullivan County has a County Distress Index score of 56.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,180th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sullivan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sullivan County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Sullivan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sullivan County (56.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Pike County, PA (59.5); Orange County, NY (54.5); Ulster County, NY (48.9).

  • 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). Sullivan County's score of 56.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Sullivan 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 Sullivan County?

    Sullivan County, New York has a population of approximately 79,920 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.