Hampden County, Massachusetts

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.5 | 460,291 people · 1st most distressed in Massachusetts
American Default Research

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Hampden County, MA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.5 — 291st 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 1st of 14 counties. It scores higher than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hampden County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 92.0 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 92.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 97
Income & Poverty 85.4
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 97
Child Poverty Rate 83
Employment & Wages 84.0
Unemployment Rate 89
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 74
Debt & Delinquency 52.1
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 31
Student Loan Delinquency 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 76
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43
Community Vulnerability 28.9
Uninsured Rate 3
Disability Rate 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hampden County
Hampden County, MA 68.5 Serious —
Berkshire County, MA 52.1 Elevated -16.4
Hampshire County, MA 48.8 Normal -19.7
Worcester County, MA 48.6 Normal -19.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hampden County
Marion County, FL 68.7 Serious +0.3
Tulare County, CA 68.9 Serious +0.5
Kern County, CA 69.1 Serious +0.7
Escambia County, FL 67.5 Serious -0.9
Jefferson County, TX 66.8 Serious -1.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hampden County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Hampden County.

CAMBRIDGE CREDIT COUNSELING CORPORATION
Agawam
800-757-1788 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
HOLYOKE HOUSING AUTHORITY
Holyoke
413-539-2202 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
SPRINGFIELD PARTNERS FOR COMMUNITY ACTION
SPRINGFIELD
413-263-6500-6500 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab
WAY FINDERS, INC.
Springfield
413-233-1500 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-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 Hampden 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 Hampden County, Massachusetts?

    Hampden County has a County Distress Index score of 68.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 291st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Massachusetts out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hampden County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hampden County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 92.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hampden County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hampden County (68.5) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Berkshire County, MA (52.1); Hampshire County, MA (48.8); Worcester County, MA (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 Hampden County?

    Hampden County, Massachusetts has a population of approximately 460,291 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.