Essex County, Massachusetts

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.4 | 810,089 people · 8th most distressed in Massachusetts
American Default Research

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Essex County, MA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.4 — 1870th 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 8th of 14 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Essex County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 94.8 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 94.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 98
Employment & Wages 74.4
Unemployment Rate 76
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 98
Business Formation Rate 49
Debt & Delinquency 26.9
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 22
Student Loan Delinquency 17
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22
Income & Poverty 26.3
Poverty Rate 17
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 22
Community Vulnerability 9.5
Uninsured Rate 2
Disability Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Essex County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Essex County
Essex County, MA 46.4 Normal —
Suffolk County, MA 49.0 Normal +2.7
Hillsborough County, NH 38.1 Normal -8.3
Middlesex County, MA 33.3 Healthy -13.1
Rockingham County, NH 30.4 Healthy -15.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Essex County
Stark County, OH 46.4 Normal +0.0
Sussex County, DE 46.3 Normal -0.1
Knox County, TN 46.5 Normal +0.1
Charleston County, SC 46.5 Normal +0.2
Montgomery County, TX 46.1 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Essex County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Essex County.

ACT LAWRENCE, INC FORMERLY ARLINGTON COMMUNITY TRABAJANDO, INC
Lawrence
978-685-6274 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
CENTRO DE APOYO FAMILIAR (CAF)-MA
Lawrence
301-328-3292 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFair Housing
LAWRENCE COMMUNITYWORKS, INC.
Lawrence
978-685-3115 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
NSC (NACA COUNSELING SUBSIDIARY) - LAWRENCE, MA
Lawrence
978-687-3993-1385 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase

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 Essex 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Massachusetts →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Essex County, Massachusetts?

    Essex County has a County Distress Index score of 46.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,870th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Massachusetts out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Essex County?

    The primary driver of distress in Essex County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 94.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Essex County compare to neighboring counties?

    Essex County (46.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Suffolk County, MA (49.0); Hillsborough County, NH (38.1); Middlesex County, MA (33.3).

  • 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 Essex County?

    Essex County, Massachusetts has a population of approximately 810,089 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.