Delaware County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.2 | 576,720 people · 11th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Delaware County, PA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.2 — 1257th 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 11th 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. Delaware County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 90.6 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 90.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 87
Homeownership Rate 72
Economic Vitality 67.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 37
Consumer Credit Distress 49.4
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 15
Subprime Credit Population 52
Legal Distress 35.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Structural Poverty 20.3
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 28
Disability Rate 17
Transfer Income Dependency 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Delaware County
Delaware County, PA 55.2 Elevated —
Philadelphia County, PA 73.5 Serious +18.3
New Castle County, DE 61.7 Elevated +6.5
Gloucester County, NJ 53.0 Elevated -2.3
Montgomery County, PA 32.5 Healthy -22.7
Chester County, PA 28.3 Healthy -26.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Delaware County
Mercer County, NJ 55.4 Elevated +0.2
Henrico County, VA 55.5 Elevated +0.3
Lorain County, OH 54.9 Elevated -0.3
Charleston County, SC 55.5 Elevated +0.3
Knox County, TN 55.5 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Delaware County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Delaware County.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING CENTERS OF PENNSYLVANIA - DELAWARE COUNTY
Upper Darby
215-765-1221 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
CCCS OF DELAWARE VALLEY, INC. DBA CLARIFI
Upper Darby
800-989-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseRental Help
CHESTER COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Chester
610-876-8663 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
MEDIA FELLOWSHIP HOUSE
Media
610-565-0434 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 Delaware 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 Delaware County, Pennsylvania?

    Delaware County has a County Distress Index score of 55.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,257th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Delaware County?

    The primary driver of distress in Delaware County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 90.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Delaware County compare to neighboring counties?

    Delaware County (55.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Philadelphia County, PA (73.5); New Castle County, DE (61.7); Gloucester County, NJ (53.0).

  • 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). Delaware County's score of 55.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Delaware 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 Delaware County?

    Delaware County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 576,720 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.