Baltimore city, Maryland
Above the national median for rent-to-income ratio — and 3.2× the rate of the healthiest U.S. county (Steele County, ND — 12%).
Main Findings
Baltimore city, Maryland ranks 21st most distressed in the United States on the County Distress Index. The driver: a rent-to-income ratio of 38% — above the national median of 21%.
- 21st of 3,144 counties on the County Distress Index — Most distressed fifth, 1st in Maryland.
- A rent-to-income ratio of 38% (U.S. median 21%). Rent-to-income ratio at the 100th percentile nationally.
- Auto loan delinquency at 11% — national median 5%, ranked at the 95th percentile.
- Bankruptcy filing rate at 361 — national median 126, ranked at the 94th percentile.
- Unemployment at 6% — national median 4%, ranked at the 92nd percentile.
Neighbors span two CDI distress fifths. The 26-point drop to Anne Arundel County marks where the Maryland distress corridor ends.
"Baltimore city ranks in the most distressed fifth of U.S. counties. The five-domain profile shows where local household pressure is most concentrated."
"The CDI places this county in the most distressed fifth nationally. The rank is the important geography signal: it compares the county with every other county-equivalent in the release."
Reporter's Notes
Two data points in the indicator table worth a follow-up call.
Baltimore city's uninsured rate indicator is at the 27th percentile — while every other indicator in the safety_net_buffer domain sits at or above the 56th percentile. The gap stands out against poverty rate and SNAP rate. Worth a call to Urban Institute or a local credit counselor in Baltimore.
The Indicators Behind Baltimore city's CDI Score
Every number traces to a public source. Baltimore city's value shown alongside MD's median and the U.S. median. Full CSV available for download.
| Indicator | Baltimore city | MD median | U.S. median | Pctile | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delinquency — domain score 95 · Rank 84 of 3,144 | |||||
| Auto loan delinquency Share of auto loan accounts 60+ days past due | 11% | 5% | 5% | 95th | Urban Institute (2024) |
| Credit card delinquency Share of credit card accounts 60+ days past due | 10% | 5% | 5% | 94th | Urban Institute (2024) |
| Subprime credit share Share of residents with a credit score below 660 | 39% | 21% | 23% | 94th | Urban Institute (2024) |
| Default & Legal — domain score 92 · Rank 107 of 3,144 | |||||
| Debt in collections Share of residents with a credit file who have debt in collections | 37% | 18% | 23% | 90th | Urban Institute (2024) |
| Bankruptcy filing rate Personal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents | 361 | 146 | 126 | 94th | US Courts F-5A (2025) |
| Debt Burden (housing basis) — domain score 96 · Rank 38 of 3,144 | |||||
| Rent-to-income ratio Fair Market Rent (2BR) as share of median household income | 38% | 21% | 21% | 100th | HUD FMR × Census ACS (2024) |
| Severe rent burden (50%+) Share of renter households paying 50%+ of income on rent | 27% | 22% | 18% | 93rd | Census ACS 5-yr (2023) |
| Labor — domain score 92 · Rank 261 of 3,144 | |||||
| Unemployment Share of labor force unemployed | 6% | 4% | 4% | 92nd | BLS LAUS (Dec 2025) |
| Safety Net & Buffer — domain score 69 · Rank 820 of 3,144 | |||||
| Child poverty rate Share of children under 18 below the federal poverty line | 26% | 13% | 18% | 83rd | Census SAIPE (2023) |
| Disability rate Share of residents reporting a disability | 16% | 12% | 16% | 56th | Census ACS 5-yr (2023) |
| Poverty rate Share of population below the federal poverty line | 20% | 10% | 14% | 87th | Census SAIPE (2023) |
| Transfer-income dependency Share of personal income from government transfers | 30% | 18% | 27% | 67th | BEA Regional Personal Income (2023) |
| Uninsured rate Share of residents without health insurance coverage | 6% | 5% | 8% | 27th | Census ACS 5-yr (2023) |
Five-Domain Breakdown
The CDI is an equal-weight composite of five family-v1 distress domains. Each domain contributes 20% of the county score.
Methodology
The County Distress Index is a 0–100 composite score of household financial distress, computed for all 3,144 U.S. counties. Higher scores indicate greater distress. The index is built from five equal-weighted domains: Delinquency, Default & Legal, Debt Burden, Labor, and Safety Net & Buffer. Each domain is the mean of distress-oriented indicator percentiles; the CDI score is the equal-weight mean of those domain scores.
Data sources include the Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax consumer credit panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, Business Formation Statistics), Bureau of Labor Statistics (Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Data vintages range from 2023 to 2025 depending on source; full indicator-level vintage detail is in the methodology document.
For Press & Research
Everything you need to cite Baltimore city data — in under 60 seconds.
Draft wire copy 147-word AP-style article — use freely with attribution
BALTIMORE, Md. — Baltimore city ranks 21st among the nation's most financially distressed counties, according to the County Distress Index released this month by American Default Research.
The composite score of 89 out of 100 places Baltimore city in the most distressed fifth. Among 3,144 U.S. counties scored, only 20 rank more distressed. Within Maryland, Baltimore city ranks first of 24 counties.
The index, which draws on 16 source indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Urban Institute and federal court filings, identifies debt burden (housing basis) as the primary driver in Baltimore. A rent-to-income ratio of 38% — above the national median of 21%.
"Baltimore city ranks in the most distressed fifth of U.S. counties. The five-domain profile shows where local household pressure is most concentrated," said Ross Kilburn, founder of American Default Research.
Full methodology and county-by-county data are available at americandefault.org/methodology/cdi.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Baltimore city's CDI score, and what does it mean?
What drives Baltimore city's distress score?
How does Baltimore city compare to its neighbors?
How is the County Distress Index calculated?
Baltimore city resident looking for help? HUD counselors, legal aid, and attorney referrals →