Clinton County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.3 | 37,607 people · 15th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Clinton County, PA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.3 — 1499th 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 15th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clinton County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 66.0 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 66.0
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 77
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 63
Housing Cost Burden 60.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 64
Consumer Credit Distress 50.9
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 44
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Uninsured Rate 64
Subprime Credit Population 46
Economic Vitality 46.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 89
House Price Change (YoY) 35
Legal Distress 5.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clinton County
Clinton County, PA 51.3 Elevated —
Lycoming County, PA 52.8 Elevated +1.5
Cameron County, PA 47.6 Normal -3.7
Clearfield County, PA 43.4 Normal -8.0
Centre County, PA 39.4 Normal -12.0
Potter County, PA 34.9 Healthy -16.4
Union County, PA 27.8 Healthy -23.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clinton County
Noble County, OK 51.3 Elevated +0.0
Silver Bow County, MT 51.3 Elevated +0.0
Nicholas County, WV 51.3 Elevated -0.0
Henry County, IN 51.4 Elevated +0.0
Sierra County, NM 51.3 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clinton 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 Clinton 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 Clinton County, Pennsylvania?

    Clinton County has a County Distress Index score of 51.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,499th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 15th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clinton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clinton County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 66.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Clinton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clinton County (51.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Lycoming County, PA (52.8); Cameron County, PA (47.6); 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 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). Clinton County's score of 51.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Clinton 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 Clinton County?

    Clinton County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 37,607 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.