Cumberland County, Maine

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.7 | 310,230 people · 16th most distressed in Maine
American Default Research

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Cumberland County, ME ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.7 — 2861st 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 Maine, it ranks 16th of 16 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Cumberland County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.8 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 64
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Employment & Wages 43.1
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 30
Debt & Delinquency 16.9
Debt in Collections 16
Medical Debt 51
Student Loan Delinquency 6
Auto Loan Delinquency 12
Credit Card Delinquency 10
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7
Community Vulnerability 12.8
Uninsured Rate 14
Disability Rate 11
Income & Poverty 3.8
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 3

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Cumberland County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Cumberland County
Cumberland County, ME 30.7 Healthy —
Androscoggin County, ME 57.3 Elevated +26.6
Oxford County, ME 56.5 Elevated +25.8
Sagadahoc County, ME 36.2 Normal +5.6
York County, ME 35.7 Normal +5.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Cumberland County
Dakota County, MN 30.5 Healthy -0.2
Rockingham County, NH 30.4 Healthy -0.2
Anne Arundel County, MD 31.2 Healthy +0.5
Brown County, WI 30.1 Healthy -0.5
Somerset County, NJ 31.4 Healthy +0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cumberland County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Cumberland County.

AVESTA HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Portland
207-553-7777 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
COASTAL ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED
BRUNSWICK
207-517-9877 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Maine →

Find an Attorney

Maine State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Maine State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 207-622-7523

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Cumberland County residents at no cost.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance 207-774-8211

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 Maine →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Cumberland County, Maine?

    Cumberland County has a County Distress Index score of 30.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,861st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in Maine out of 16 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cumberland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cumberland County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cumberland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cumberland County (30.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Androscoggin County, ME (57.3); Oxford County, ME (56.5); Sagadahoc County, ME (36.2).

  • 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 Cumberland County?

    Cumberland County, Maine has a population of approximately 310,230 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.