Kent County, Maryland

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.4 | 19,303 people · 9th most distressed in Maryland
American Default Research

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Kent County, MD registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.4 — 1568th 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 Maryland, it ranks 9th of 24 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Kent County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 68.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 68.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Income & Poverty 64.5
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 57
Employment & Wages 62.1
Unemployment Rate 55
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 59
Community Vulnerability 30.1
Uninsured Rate 21
Disability Rate 39
Debt & Delinquency 26.4
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 19
Student Loan Delinquency 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 34
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Kent County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Kent County
Kent County, MD 50.4 Elevated —
Kent County, DE 61.4 Elevated +11.0
New Castle County, DE 49.5 Normal -0.9
Baltimore County, MD 48.6 Normal -1.8
Cecil County, MD 48.4 Normal -1.9
Harford County, MD 34.4 Healthy -15.9
Queen Anne's County, MD 31.7 Healthy -18.7
Anne Arundel County, MD 31.2 Healthy -19.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Kent County
Gratiot County, MI 50.4 Elevated -0.0
Phelps County, MO 50.4 Elevated +0.0
Ashe County, NC 50.4 Elevated +0.0
Orleans County, VT 50.4 Elevated +0.0
Macon County, MO 50.4 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kent County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Kent County.

MARYLAND RURAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (MRDC) (KENT CO)
Chestertown
667-254-8051 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHomeless/Displacement

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 Kent 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Kent County has a County Distress Index score of 50.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,568th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Maryland out of 24 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kent County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kent County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 68.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Kent County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kent County (50.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Kent County, DE (61.4); New Castle County, DE (49.5); Baltimore County, MD (48.6).

  • 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 Kent County?

    Kent County, Maryland has a population of approximately 19,303 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.