Juniata County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.6 | 23,243 people · 56th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Juniata County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.6 — 2445th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Pennsylvania, it ranks 56th of 67 counties. It scores lower 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. Juniata County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 56.8 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 56.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 97
Legal Distress 47.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47
Structural Poverty 39.7
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 63
Child Poverty Rate 27
Disability Rate 22
Transfer Income Dependency 30
Consumer Credit Distress 35.3
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 17
Housing Cost Burden 21.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 46
Homeownership Rate 56

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Juniata County
Juniata County, PA 35.6 Normal —
Dauphin County, PA 57.1 Elevated +21.5
Northumberland County, PA 46.0 Normal +10.4
Mifflin County, PA 44.7 Normal +9.1
Perry County, PA 43.9 Normal +8.3
Franklin County, PA 43.9 Normal +8.3
Huntingdon County, PA 37.8 Normal +2.2
Snyder County, PA 36.1 Normal +0.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Juniata County
Payette County, ID 35.6 Normal 0.0
Richland County, MT 35.6 Normal +0.0
Gillespie County, TX 35.6 Normal -0.1
Ottawa County, OH 35.8 Normal +0.1
Waushara County, WI 35.8 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Juniata 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 Juniata 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Juniata County has a County Distress Index score of 35.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,445th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Juniata County?

    The primary driver of distress in Juniata County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 56.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Juniata County compare to neighboring counties?

    Juniata County (35.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Dauphin County, PA (57.1); Northumberland County, PA (46.0); 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). Juniata County's score of 35.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Juniata 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 Juniata County?

    Juniata County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 23,243 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.