Blair County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.2 | 120,273 people · 19th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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

Blair County, PA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.2 — 1564th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Pennsylvania, it ranks 19th of 67 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Blair County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 64.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 64.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 88
House Price Change (YoY) 15
Structural Poverty 59.2
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 51
Disability Rate 50
Transfer Income Dependency 57
Housing Cost Burden 58.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 60
Consumer Credit Distress 44.9
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 40
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Uninsured Rate 27
Subprime Credit Population 43
Legal Distress 23.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Blair County
Blair County, PA 50.2 Elevated —
Cambria County, PA 48.8 Normal -1.4
Clearfield County, PA 43.4 Normal -6.8
Bedford County, PA 40.7 Normal -9.5
Centre County, PA 39.4 Normal -10.8
Huntingdon County, PA 37.8 Normal -12.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Blair County
Fairfield County, OH 50.1 Elevated -0.0
Twin Falls County, ID 50.2 Elevated +0.1
Pender County, NC 50.1 Elevated -0.1
Oneida County, NY 50.3 Elevated +0.1
Stanly County, NC 50.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Blair County

Find an Attorney

Pennsylvania Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Pennsylvania Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-932-0311

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Blair County residents at no cost.

Community Legal Services of Philadelphia 215-981-3700
MidPenn Legal Services 1-800-326-9177
Neighborhood Legal Services Association 412-255-6700
Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN)
Laurel Legal Services, Inc. (800) 253-9558
Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (877) 429-5994
North Penn Legal Services, Inc. (877) 953-4250
Northwestern Legal Services (814) 452-6957
Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center (215) 981-3800
Summit Legal Aid (800) 846-0871

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 Pennsylvania →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Blair County, Pennsylvania?

    Blair County has a County Distress Index score of 50.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,564th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Blair County?

    The primary driver of distress in Blair County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 64.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Blair County compare to neighboring counties?

    Blair County (50.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Cambria County, PA (48.8); Clearfield County, PA (43.4); Bedford County, PA (40.7).

  • 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). Blair County's score of 50.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Blair 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 Blair County?

    Blair County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 120,273 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.