Harford County, Maryland

County Distress Index: Healthy · 34.4 | 264,644 people · 17th most distressed in Maryland
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Harford County, MD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 34.4 — 2680th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Maryland, it ranks 17th of 24 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Harford County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 60.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 60.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 75
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Employment & Wages 52.9
Unemployment Rate 27
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 45
Debt & Delinquency 43.4
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 23
Student Loan Delinquency 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Income & Poverty 8.6
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 4
Community Vulnerability 7.2
Uninsured Rate 5
Disability Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Harford County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Harford County
Harford County, MD 34.4 Healthy —
Kent County, MD 50.4 Elevated +15.9
Baltimore County, MD 48.6 Normal +14.2
Cecil County, MD 48.4 Normal +14.0
Lancaster County, PA 42.5 Normal +8.1
York County, PA 38.4 Normal +4.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Harford County
Marin County, CA 34.2 Healthy -0.2
Lake County, IL 34.6 Healthy +0.2
St. Johns County, FL 34.2 Healthy -0.3
Cumberland County, PA 34.9 Healthy +0.4
McHenry County, IL 33.7 Healthy -0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Harford County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Harford County.

Harford County, Maryland
Bel Air
410-638-3045
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase

See all counselors in Maryland →

Find an Attorney

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

Maryland State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 410-685-7878

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Harford County residents at no cost.

Maryland Legal Aid 410-539-5340
Community Law Center (Baltimore) 410-366-0922
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) 410-539-6800
Civil Justice (Baltimore) 410-706-0900

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 Maryland →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Harford County, Maryland?

    Harford County has a County Distress Index score of 34.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,680th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Maryland out of 24 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Harford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Harford County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 60.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Harford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Harford County (34.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Kent County, MD (50.4); Baltimore County, MD (48.6); Cecil County, MD (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 Harford County?

    Harford County, Maryland has a population of approximately 264,644 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.