Centre County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.4 | 157,795 people · 45th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Centre County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.4 — 2231st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Pennsylvania, it ranks 45th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Centre County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 94.1 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 94.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 90
Economic Vitality 71.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 65
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 90
House Price Change (YoY) 61
Structural Poverty 23.7
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 11
Disability Rate 8
Transfer Income Dependency 13
Consumer Credit Distress 17.3
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Uninsured Rate 24
Subprime Credit Population 6
Legal Distress 4.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Centre County
Centre County, PA 39.4 Normal —
Clinton County, PA 51.3 Elevated +12.0
Blair County, PA 50.2 Elevated +10.8
Mifflin County, PA 44.7 Normal +5.4
Clearfield County, PA 43.4 Normal +4.0
Huntingdon County, PA 37.8 Normal -1.6
Union County, PA 27.8 Healthy -11.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Centre County
Benton County, OR 39.4 Normal +0.0
Greene County, OH 39.2 Normal -0.1
LaSalle County, IL 39.5 Normal +0.2
Stearns County, MN 39.1 Normal -0.2
Hampshire County, MA 39.1 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Centre County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Centre County.

TEMPORARY HOUSING FOUNDATION
State College
814-954-4215 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase

See all counselors in Pennsylvania →

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 Centre 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Centre County has a County Distress Index score of 39.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,231st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Centre County?

    The primary driver of distress in Centre County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 94.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Centre County compare to neighboring counties?

    Centre County (39.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clinton County, PA (51.3); Blair County, PA (50.2); Mifflin County, PA (44.7).

  • 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 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). Centre County's score of 39.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Centre 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 Centre County?

    Centre County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 157,795 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.