Walton County, Florida

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.6 | 86,354 people · 62nd most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Walton County, FL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.6 — 1703rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where health coverage gaps and disability rates are moderately elevated. Within Florida, it ranks 62nd of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Walton County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 63.7 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 63.7
Uninsured Rate 85
Disability Rate 42
Housing Cost Burden 59.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Employment & Wages 49.0
Unemployment Rate 69
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 1
Debt & Delinquency 47.0
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 38
Student Loan Delinquency 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 57
Income & Poverty 24.1
Poverty Rate 28
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Walton County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Walton County
Walton County, FL 48.6 Normal —
Holmes County, FL 66.4 Serious +17.8
Washington County, FL 66.2 Serious +17.6
Geneva County, AL 64.9 Elevated +16.4
Bay County, FL 63.2 Elevated +14.7
Covington County, AL 56.7 Elevated +8.1
Okaloosa County, FL 53.0 Elevated +4.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Walton County
Warren County, KY 48.6 Normal +0.0
Santa Fe County, NM 48.5 Normal -0.1
Roane County, TN 48.5 Normal -0.1
Cecil County, MD 48.4 Normal -0.1
Kennebec County, ME 48.4 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Walton County

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 Walton 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 Walton County, Florida?

    Walton County has a County Distress Index score of 48.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,703rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 62nd in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Walton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Walton County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 63.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Walton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Walton County (48.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Holmes County, FL (66.4); Washington County, FL (66.2); Geneva County, AL (64.9).

  • 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 Walton County?

    Walton County, Florida has a population of approximately 86,354 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.