Wayne County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.7 | 90,829 people · 44th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Wayne County, NY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.7 — 2081st 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 44th of 62 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wayne County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 83.4 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 83.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 93
House Price Change (YoY) 37
Housing Cost Burden 60.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 70
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 19
Structural Poverty 36.9
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 32
Disability Rate 37
Transfer Income Dependency 43
Consumer Credit Distress 30.4
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Uninsured Rate 26
Subprime Credit Population 41
Legal Distress 16.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Wayne County, NY 41.7 Normal —
Seneca County, NY 53.1 Elevated +11.4
Monroe County, NY 50.2 Elevated +8.5
Cayuga County, NY 44.2 Normal +2.5
Ontario County, NY 35.9 Normal -5.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Bonneville County, ID 41.6 Normal -0.1
Sussex County, NJ 41.8 Normal +0.1
Kendall County, IL 41.9 Normal +0.1
Kootenai County, ID 41.5 Normal -0.2
Livingston County, NY 41.5 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wayne 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 Wayne 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 Wayne County, New York?

    Wayne County has a County Distress Index score of 41.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,081st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wayne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wayne County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 83.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Wayne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wayne County (41.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Seneca County, NY (53.1); Monroe County, NY (50.2); Cayuga County, NY (44.2).

  • 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). Wayne County's score of 41.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Wayne 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 Wayne County?

    Wayne County, New York has a population of approximately 90,829 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.