Barnstable County, Massachusetts

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.1 | 231,735 people · 9th most distressed in Massachusetts
American Default Research

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Barnstable County, MA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.1 — 2069th 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 Massachusetts, it ranks 9th of 14 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Barnstable County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 78.8 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 78.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 96
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 87
Homeownership Rate 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 98
Employment & Wages 76.3
Unemployment Rate 90
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 98
Business Formation Rate 40
Income & Poverty 29.2
Poverty Rate 12
Income vs. State Median 59
Child Poverty Rate 17
Community Vulnerability 18.6
Uninsured Rate 2
Disability Rate 35
Debt & Delinquency 17.5
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 19
Student Loan Delinquency 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 14
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Barnstable County compares to its 3 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Barnstable County
Barnstable County, MA 44.1 Normal —
Bristol County, MA 57.9 Elevated +13.8
Plymouth County, MA 40.6 Normal -3.4
Dukes County, MA 35.3 Normal -8.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Barnstable County
Pennington County, SD 44.1 Normal 0.0
Santa Rosa County, FL 44.1 Normal +0.0
Rogers County, OK 44.0 Normal -0.0
Eddy County, NM 44.0 Normal -0.1
Beaver County, PA 44.2 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Barnstable County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Barnstable County.

HOUSING ASSISTANCE CORP.
Hyannis
508-771-5400 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Massachusetts →

Find an Attorney

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

Massachusetts Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 617-654-0400 (Boston); 1-800-392-6164 (statewide)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Barnstable County residents at no cost.

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) 617-603-1700
Massachusetts Legal Aid (MLA) — Statewide Hotline 617-603-1700 (GBLS); see MassLegalHelp.org for regional offices
South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS) 508-979-7150 (New Bedford); 508-775-7020 (Hyannis)
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau 617-495-4408
Community Legal Aid, Inc. (508) 752-3718
Northeast Legal Aid, Inc. (978) 458-1465
Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association (617) 603-1700

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 Barnstable County, Massachusetts?

    Barnstable County has a County Distress Index score of 44.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,069th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Massachusetts out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Barnstable County?

    The primary driver of distress in Barnstable County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 78.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Barnstable County compare to neighboring counties?

    Barnstable County (44.1) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Bristol County, MA (57.9); Plymouth County, MA (40.6); Dukes County, MA (35.3).

  • 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 Barnstable County?

    Barnstable County, Massachusetts has a population of approximately 231,735 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.