Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.2 | 377,754 people · 5th most distressed in Pennsylvania
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Lehigh County, PA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.2 — 871st 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 5th of 67 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lehigh County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 91.6 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 91.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 84
Economic Vitality 63.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 70
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 32
House Price Change (YoY) 24
Consumer Credit Distress 58.0
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Uninsured Rate 32
Subprime Credit Population 59
Legal Distress 42.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43
Structural Poverty 31.8
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 25
Transfer Income Dependency 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lehigh County
Lehigh County, PA 61.2 Elevated —
Berks County, PA 59.4 Elevated -1.8
Carbon County, PA 56.2 Elevated -5.0
Northampton County, PA 53.0 Elevated -8.2
Schuylkill County, PA 51.2 Elevated -10.1
Bucks County, PA 34.7 Healthy -26.5
Montgomery County, PA 32.5 Healthy -28.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lehigh County
Spartanburg County, SC 61.2 Elevated +0.0
Hudson County, NJ 61.3 Elevated +0.1
Hays County, TX 61.1 Elevated -0.1
Cobb County, GA 61.0 Elevated -0.2
Brevard County, FL 61.0 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lehigh 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 Lehigh 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 Lehigh County, Pennsylvania?

    Lehigh County has a County Distress Index score of 61.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 871st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lehigh County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lehigh County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 91.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lehigh County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lehigh County (61.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Berks County, PA (59.4); Carbon County, PA (56.2); Northampton County, PA (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). Lehigh County's score of 61.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lehigh 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 Lehigh County?

    Lehigh County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 377,754 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.