Waldo County, Maine

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.3 | 40,620 people · 9th most distressed in Maine
American Default Research

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Waldo County, ME registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.3 — 1428th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Maine, it ranks 9th of 16 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Waldo County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 60.4 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 60.4
Unemployment Rate 38
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 59
Community Vulnerability 57.4
Uninsured Rate 61
Disability Rate 54
Housing Cost Burden 57.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 55
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 15
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Income & Poverty 44.6
Poverty Rate 43
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 53
Debt & Delinquency 42.2
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 56
Student Loan Delinquency 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Waldo County
Waldo County, ME 52.3 Elevated —
Somerset County, ME 58.7 Elevated +6.3
Penobscot County, ME 53.5 Elevated +1.2
Kennebec County, ME 48.4 Normal -3.9
Hancock County, ME 47.8 Normal -4.6
Knox County, ME 37.7 Normal -14.6
Lincoln County, ME 37.1 Normal -15.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Waldo County
Fannin County, GA 52.4 Elevated +0.0
Pike County, IL 52.4 Elevated +0.0
Coosa County, AL 52.4 Elevated +0.1
Independence County, AR 52.4 Elevated +0.1
Yadkin County, NC 52.3 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Waldo County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Waldo County.

WALDO COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERS
Belfast
207-338-6809-1010 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPre-PurchaseHomebuyer EducationRental Help

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 Waldo 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Waldo County has a County Distress Index score of 52.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,428th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Maine out of 16 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Waldo County?

    The primary driver of distress in Waldo County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 60.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Waldo County compare to neighboring counties?

    Waldo County (52.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Somerset County, ME (58.7); Penobscot County, ME (53.5); Kennebec County, ME (48.4).

  • 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 Waldo County?

    Waldo County, Maine has a population of approximately 40,620 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.