Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.5 | 868,742 people · 60th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Montgomery County, PA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.5 — 2613th 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 60th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Montgomery County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.0 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 63
Economic Vitality 40.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 37
Legal Distress 27.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28
Consumer Credit Distress 17.4
Debt in Collections 15
Medical Debt 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 20
Credit Card Delinquency 19
Uninsured Rate 8
Subprime Credit Population 13
Structural Poverty 6.1
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 4
Disability Rate 7
Transfer Income Dependency 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, PA 32.5 Healthy —
Philadelphia County, PA 73.5 Serious +41.0
Lehigh County, PA 61.2 Elevated +28.7
Berks County, PA 59.4 Elevated +26.9
Delaware County, PA 55.2 Elevated +22.7
Bucks County, PA 34.7 Healthy +2.2
Chester County, PA 28.3 Healthy -4.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Cumberland County, ME 32.6 Healthy +0.1
Ottawa County, MI 32.8 Healthy +0.3
Davis County, UT 32.2 Healthy -0.3
Marin County, CA 33.0 Healthy +0.5
Brown County, WI 33.1 Healthy +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Montgomery County.

CCCS OF DELAWARE VALLEY, INC. DBA CLARIFI
JENKINTOWN
800-989-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseRental Help
GENESIS HOUSING CORPORATION
Norristown
610-275-4357
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-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 Montgomery 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 32.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,613th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 60th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (32.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Philadelphia County, PA (73.5); Lehigh County, PA (61.2); Berks County, PA (59.4).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Montgomery County's score of 32.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Montgomery 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 868,742 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.