Perry County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.9 | 46,083 people · 35th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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

Perry County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.9 — 1961st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Pennsylvania, it ranks 35th 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. Perry County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 84.2 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 84.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 81
House Price Change (YoY) 27
Consumer Credit Distress 43.8
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Uninsured Rate 64
Subprime Credit Population 35
Housing Cost Burden 38.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 82
Homeownership Rate 16
Legal Distress 36.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36
Structural Poverty 30.4
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 33
Disability Rate 32
Transfer Income Dependency 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Perry County
Perry County, PA 43.9 Normal —
Dauphin County, PA 57.1 Elevated +13.2
Northumberland County, PA 46.0 Normal +2.1
Franklin County, PA 43.9 Normal -0.0
Cumberland County, PA 38.2 Normal -5.8
Juniata County, PA 35.6 Normal -8.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Perry County
Crook County, OR 44.0 Normal +0.0
Harris County, GA 43.9 Normal -0.0
Okanogan County, WA 44.0 Normal +0.1
Stephenson County, IL 44.0 Normal +0.1
Union County, IL 44.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Perry 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 Perry 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 Perry County, Pennsylvania?

    Perry County has a County Distress Index score of 43.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,961st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Perry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Perry County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 84.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Perry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Perry County (43.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Dauphin County, PA (57.1); Northumberland County, PA (46.0); Franklin County, PA (43.9).

  • 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). Perry County's score of 43.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Perry 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 Perry County?

    Perry County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 46,083 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.