Hampshire County, Massachusetts

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.8 | 162,502 people · 6th most distressed in Massachusetts
American Default Research

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Hampshire County, MA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.8 — 1693rd 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 6th of 14 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hampshire County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 89.5 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 89.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Employment & Wages 87.7
Unemployment Rate 72
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 96
Income & Poverty 45.9
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 17
Debt & Delinquency 12.0
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 24
Student Loan Delinquency 6
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 11
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19
Community Vulnerability 8.7
Uninsured Rate 0
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 Hampshire County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hampshire County
Hampshire County, MA 48.8 Normal —
Hampden County, MA 68.5 Serious +19.7
Franklin County, MA 57.7 Elevated +8.9
Berkshire County, MA 52.1 Elevated +3.3
Worcester County, MA 48.6 Normal -0.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hampshire County
Suffolk city, VA 48.8 Normal 0.0
Marshall County, AL 48.8 Normal -0.0
Washington County, NY 48.8 Normal +0.0
Livingston Parish, LA 48.8 Normal +0.1
Warren County, KY 48.6 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hampshire County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Hampshire County.

VALLEY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Northampton
413-586-5855x180 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Lease/Pre-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 Hampshire 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 Hampshire County, Massachusetts?

    Hampshire County has a County Distress Index score of 48.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,693rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in Massachusetts out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hampshire County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hampshire County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 89.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hampshire County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hampshire County (48.8) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Hampden County, MA (68.5); Franklin County, MA (57.7); Berkshire County, MA (52.1).

  • 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 Hampshire County?

    Hampshire County, Massachusetts has a population of approximately 162,502 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.