Fayette County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.3 | 123,915 people · 3rd most distressed in Pennsylvania
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Fayette County, PA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.3 — 758th 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 3rd of 67 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Fayette County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.9 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.9
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 85
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Economic Vitality 79.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 82
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 67
House Price Change (YoY) 45
Legal Distress 76.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Consumer Credit Distress 59.5
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 75
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 11
Subprime Credit Population 64
Housing Cost Burden 49.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 45
Homeownership Rate 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fayette County
Fayette County, PA 63.3 Elevated —
Monongalia County, WV 49.5 Normal -13.8
Greene County, PA 49.3 Normal -14.0
Preston County, WV 47.8 Normal -15.5
Westmoreland County, PA 38.1 Normal -25.3
Washington County, PA 36.2 Normal -27.1
Somerset County, PA 35.9 Normal -27.4
Garrett County, MD 34.5 Healthy -28.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fayette County
Greenwood County, SC 63.4 Elevated +0.0
Colbert County, AL 63.2 Elevated -0.1
Paulding County, GA 63.4 Elevated +0.1
Coconino County, AZ 63.2 Elevated -0.1
Lee County, AL 63.4 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fayette County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Fayette County.

FAYETTE COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY
Uniontown
724-437-6050 Website
Foreclosure PreventionHomeless/DisplacementPre-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 Fayette 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 Fayette County, Pennsylvania?

    Fayette County has a County Distress Index score of 63.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 758th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fayette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fayette County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Fayette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fayette County (63.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Monongalia County, WV (49.5); Greene County, PA (49.3); Preston County, WV (47.8).

  • 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). Fayette County's score of 63.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Fayette 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 Fayette County?

    Fayette County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 123,915 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.