Cameron County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.6 | 4,380 people · 25th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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

Cameron County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.6 — 1741st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Pennsylvania, it ranks 25th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cameron County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 85.4 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 85.4
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Housing Cost Burden 75.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 74
Economic Vitality 49.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 68
Business Formation Rate 94
House Price Change (YoY) 36
Consumer Credit Distress 27.9
Debt in Collections 37
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 36
Legal Distress 18.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cameron County
Cameron County, PA 47.6 Normal —
Clinton County, PA 51.3 Elevated +3.7
McKean County, PA 47.8 Normal +0.2
Clearfield County, PA 43.4 Normal -4.3
Potter County, PA 34.9 Healthy -12.7
Elk County, PA 30.4 Healthy -17.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cameron County
Concho County, TX 47.6 Normal 0.0
Alfalfa County, OK 47.6 Normal +0.0
Hemphill County, TX 47.5 Normal -0.1
Mineral County, MT 47.7 Normal +0.1
Grundy County, MO 47.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cameron 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 Cameron 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 Cameron County, Pennsylvania?

    Cameron County has a County Distress Index score of 47.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,741st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cameron County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cameron County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 85.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Cameron County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cameron County (47.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Clinton County, PA (51.3); McKean County, PA (47.8); Clearfield County, PA (43.4).

  • 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). Cameron County's score of 47.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Cameron 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 Cameron County?

    Cameron County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 4,380 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.