Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.1 | 289,234 people · 9th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Dauphin County, PA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.1 — 1139th 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 9th of 67 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dauphin County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 68.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 68.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 62
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 88
Consumer Credit Distress 59.6
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 32
Subprime Credit Population 64
Economic Vitality 56.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 31
Legal Distress 50.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Structural Poverty 34.8
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 56
Disability Rate 26
Transfer Income Dependency 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dauphin County
Dauphin County, PA 57.1 Elevated —
Schuylkill County, PA 51.2 Elevated -6.0
Lebanon County, PA 50.3 Elevated -6.9
York County, PA 46.1 Normal -11.1
Northumberland County, PA 46.0 Normal -11.1
Perry County, PA 43.9 Normal -13.2
Lancaster County, PA 42.5 Normal -14.6
Cumberland County, PA 38.2 Normal -19.0
Juniata County, PA 35.6 Normal -21.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dauphin County
Solano County, CA 57.1 Elevated -0.0
Manatee County, FL 57.4 Elevated +0.2
Summit County, OH 56.9 Elevated -0.3
Ingham County, MI 56.9 Elevated -0.3
Greene County, MO 57.7 Elevated +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dauphin County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Dauphin County.

PENNSYLVANIA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY
HARRISBURG
800-342-2397 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
THE FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL OF THE CAPITAL REGION, INC
Harrisburg
717-238-9540 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase
TRI-COUNTY HDC LTD
Harrisburg
717-231-3604 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingPre-Lease/Pre-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 Dauphin 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 Dauphin County, Pennsylvania?

    Dauphin County has a County Distress Index score of 57.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,139th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dauphin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dauphin County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 68.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Dauphin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dauphin County (57.1) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Schuylkill County, PA (51.2); Lebanon County, PA (50.3); York County, PA (46.1).

  • 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). Dauphin County's score of 57.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Dauphin 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 Dauphin County?

    Dauphin County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 289,234 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.