Carbon County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.2 | 65,458 people · 10th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Carbon County, PA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.2 — 1190th 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 Pennsylvania, it ranks 10th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Carbon County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 83.9 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 83.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 64
House Price Change (YoY) 10
Legal Distress 68.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Consumer Credit Distress 53.8
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 60
Housing Cost Burden 50.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 34
Structural Poverty 48.2
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 57
Transfer Income Dependency 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Carbon County
Carbon County, PA 56.2 Elevated —
Monroe County, PA 68.2 Serious +12.0
Luzerne County, PA 62.1 Elevated +5.8
Lehigh County, PA 61.2 Elevated +5.0
Northampton County, PA 53.0 Elevated -3.2
Schuylkill County, PA 51.2 Elevated -5.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Carbon County
Cecil County, MD 56.3 Elevated +0.0
Coffee County, AL 56.3 Elevated +0.1
Belmont County, OH 56.3 Elevated +0.1
Sullivan County, NY 56.3 Elevated +0.1
Lonoke County, AR 56.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Carbon 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 Carbon 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Carbon County has a County Distress Index score of 56.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,190th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Carbon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Carbon County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 83.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Carbon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Carbon County (56.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Monroe County, PA (68.2); Luzerne County, PA (62.1); Lehigh County, PA (61.2).

  • 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 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). Carbon County's score of 56.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Carbon 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 Carbon County?

    Carbon County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 65,458 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.