Orleans County, Vermont

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.9 | 27,516 people · 3rd most distressed in Vermont
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Orleans County, VT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.9 — 2138th 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 Vermont, it ranks 3rd of 14 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Orleans County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 74.1 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 74.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 94
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 19
Structural Poverty 69.6
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 62
Transfer Income Dependency 71
Economic Vitality 67.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 94
Consumer Credit Distress 16.8
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 20
Credit Card Delinquency 7
Uninsured Rate 6
Subprime Credit Population 28
Legal Distress 8.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Orleans County
Orleans County, VT 40.9 Normal —
Caledonia County, VT 39.6 Normal -1.3
Franklin County, VT 36.9 Normal -4.0
Essex County, VT 35.4 Normal -5.5
Lamoille County, VT 28.6 Healthy -12.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Orleans County
Duchesne County, UT 40.9 Normal +0.0
Greene County, VA 40.9 Normal +0.0
Taylor County, WV 40.8 Normal -0.1
Pacific County, WA 40.8 Normal -0.1
Edgar County, IL 40.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Orleans County has a County Distress Index score of 40.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,138th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Vermont out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Orleans County?

    The primary driver of distress in Orleans County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 74.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Orleans County compare to neighboring counties?

    Orleans County (40.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Caledonia County, VT (39.6); Franklin County, VT (36.9); Essex County, VT (35.4).

  • 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 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). Orleans County's score of 40.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Orleans 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 Orleans County?

    Orleans County, Vermont has a population of approximately 27,516 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.