Franklin County, Vermont

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.9 | 50,994 people · 6th most distressed in Vermont
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Franklin County, VT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.9 — 2370th 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 Vermont, it ranks 6th of 14 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 83.5 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 83.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 17
Housing Cost Burden 72.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 29
Structural Poverty 21.6
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 13
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 21
Legal Distress 19.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20
Consumer Credit Distress 18.4
Debt in Collections 24
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 24
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Uninsured Rate 7
Subprime Credit Population 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, VT 36.9 Normal —
Orleans County, VT 40.9 Normal +4.0
Grand Isle County, VT 35.4 Normal -1.5
Chittenden County, VT 32.2 Healthy -4.7
Lamoille County, VT 28.6 Healthy -8.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
McLean County, IL 36.9 Normal 0.0
Otsego County, NY 36.8 Normal -0.1
Jefferson County, WV 36.8 Normal -0.1
Sauk County, WI 37.3 Normal +0.4
Buffalo County, NE 37.3 Normal +0.4

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Franklin County, Vermont?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 36.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,370th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in Vermont out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 83.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (36.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Orleans County, VT (40.9); Grand Isle County, VT (35.4); Chittenden County, VT (32.2).

  • 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). Franklin County's score of 36.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Vermont has a population of approximately 50,994 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.