Escambia County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.5 | 326,928 people · 21st most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Escambia County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.5 — 338th 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 Florida, it ranks 21st of 67 counties. It scores higher than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Escambia County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 81.9 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 81.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 74
Homeownership Rate 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Debt & Delinquency 77.4
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 80
Student Loan Delinquency 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 75
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Community Vulnerability 69.9
Uninsured Rate 78
Disability Rate 62
Employment & Wages 56.8
Unemployment Rate 85
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 9
Income & Poverty 51.6
Poverty Rate 54
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 65

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Escambia County compares to its 3 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Escambia County
Escambia County, FL 67.5 Serious —
Escambia County, AL 60.8 Elevated -6.8
Santa Rosa County, FL 44.1 Normal -23.4
Baldwin County, AL 41.0 Normal -26.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Escambia County
Jefferson County, TX 66.8 Serious -0.7
Essex County, NJ 66.7 Serious -0.8
Orleans Parish, LA 66.6 Serious -0.9
Hampden County, MA 68.5 Serious +0.9
Polk County, FL 66.5 Serious -1.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Escambia County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Escambia County.

COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE INVESTMENTS, INCORPORATED
PENSACOLA
850-595-6234-206 Website
Mortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
PENSACOLA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Pensacola
850-434-5456 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase

See all counselors in Florida →

Find an Attorney

The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-342-8011

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Escambia County residents at no cost.

Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS) 1-239-334-4554
Legal Services of Greater Miami (LSGMI) 1-305-576-0080
Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida 1-954-736-2400
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida (CLSMF) 1-800-405-1417
Bay Area Legal Services 1-800-625-2257
Legal Services of North Florida 1-850-385-9007
Three Rivers Legal Services 1-866-256-8091

Self-Help Resources

The Florida Bar — Foreclosure Crisis Help for Consumers Official Florida Bar resource page for homeowners facing foreclosure, including information on finding an attorney, legal aid referrals, and understanding the foreclosure process.
Florida Courts — Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Cases Florida Supreme Court page with information on residential mortgage foreclosure cases, including links to administrative orders, mediation resources, and the Managed Mediation program.
Florida AG — Resources Available to Distressed Homeowners Florida Attorney General's office page with resources for distressed homeowners, including information on mortgage fraud, foreclosure rescue scams, and how to file complaints.
Florida LawHelp Statewide legal aid directory connecting Floridians with free legal information and local legal aid providers for foreclosure prevention and other civil legal needs.

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 Florida →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Escambia County, Florida?

    Escambia County has a County Distress Index score of 67.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 338th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Escambia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Escambia County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 81.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Escambia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Escambia County (67.5) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Escambia County, AL (60.8); Santa Rosa County, FL (44.1); Baldwin County, AL (41.0).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Escambia County?

    Escambia County, Florida has a population of approximately 326,928 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.