Gadsden County, Florida
County Distress Index score and five-domain breakdown for Gadsden County. Population: 43,833 (small).
Data: Census, BLS, Urban Institute, HUD, US Courts | Scores as of 2026-03-17
Gadsden County, FL ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 80.3 — 3rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Florida, it ranks 1st of 67 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.
Five-Domain Breakdown
How Gadsden County compares to all U.S. counties across five dimensions of financial distress. Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.
Debt & Delinquency
Primary DriverIncome & Poverty
Community Vulnerability
Housing Cost Burden
Employment & Wages
How Gadsden County Compares
Neighboring Counties
| County | Score | Zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden County, FL | 80.3 | Crisis | — |
| Calhoun County, FL | 74.9 | Serious Stress | -5.4 |
| Jackson County, FL | 73.0 | Serious Stress | -7.3 |
| Grady County, GA | 71.0 | Serious Stress | -9.2 |
| Decatur County, GA | 70.7 | Serious Stress | -9.5 |
| Liberty County, FL | 70.2 | Serious Stress | -10.0 |
Population Peers
Counties with similar population (small) and closest distress scores nationally.
| County | Score | Zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County, MO | 80.2 | Crisis | -0.0 |
| Dunklin County, MO | 79.7 | Serious Stress | -0.6 |
| Mitchell County, GA | 79.6 | Serious Stress | -0.7 |
| Phillips County, AR | 79.2 | Serious Stress | -1.0 |
| Sequoyah County, OK | 79.2 | Serious Stress | -1.1 |
Download Data
Export all distress indicators for Gadsden County as a CSV file.
Resources
Gadsden County scores in the Crisis zone. If you or someone you know is experiencing financial hardship, free help is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the distress score for Gadsden County, Florida?
Gadsden County has a County Distress Index score of 80.3 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 3rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Florida out of 67 counties.
What drives financial distress in Gadsden County?
The primary driver of distress in Gadsden County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 91.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.
How does Gadsden County compare to neighboring counties?
Gadsden County (80.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, FL (74.9); Jackson County, FL (73.0); Grady County, GA (71.0).
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 Gadsden County?
Gadsden County, Florida has a population of approximately 43,833 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.