Bradford County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.6 | 59,695 people · 44th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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

Bradford County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.6 — 2216th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Pennsylvania, it ranks 44th of 67 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bradford County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 51.6 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 51.6
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 53
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 37
Transfer Income Dependency 58
Consumer Credit Distress 41.6
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 36
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 46
Economic Vitality 40.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 15
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 79
House Price Change (YoY) 74
Housing Cost Burden 33.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 36
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 29
Homeownership Rate 61
Legal Distress 20.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bradford County
Bradford County, PA 39.6 Normal —
Chemung County, NY 58.9 Elevated +19.3
Lycoming County, PA 52.8 Elevated +13.3
Tioga County, NY 44.2 Normal +4.6
Tioga County, PA 44.0 Normal +4.4
Susquehanna County, PA 40.7 Normal +1.1
Wyoming County, PA 39.3 Normal -0.3
Sullivan County, PA 33.1 Healthy -6.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bradford County
LaSalle County, IL 39.5 Normal -0.0
Benton County, OR 39.4 Normal -0.2
Augusta County, VA 39.8 Normal +0.2
Centre County, PA 39.4 Normal -0.2
Madison County, ID 39.8 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bradford 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 Bradford 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 Bradford County, Pennsylvania?

    Bradford County has a County Distress Index score of 39.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,216th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bradford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bradford County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 51.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Bradford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bradford County (39.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Chemung County, NY (58.9); Lycoming County, PA (52.8); Tioga 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). Bradford County's score of 39.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Bradford 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 Bradford County?

    Bradford County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 59,695 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.