Merrimack County, New Hampshire

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.6 | 157,103 people · 9th most distressed in New Hampshire
American Default Research

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Merrimack County, NH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.6 — 2561st 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 New Hampshire, it ranks 9th of 10 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Merrimack County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 71.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 71.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Employment & Wages 48.5
Unemployment Rate 10
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 45
Community Vulnerability 26.6
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 37
Debt & Delinquency 22.4
Debt in Collections 20
Medical Debt 38
Student Loan Delinquency 8
Auto Loan Delinquency 17
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24
Income & Poverty 14.0
Poverty Rate 6
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Merrimack County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Merrimack County
Merrimack County, NH 36.6 Normal —
Sullivan County, NH 48.7 Normal +12.1
Strafford County, NH 45.1 Normal +8.5
Belknap County, NH 42.6 Normal +6.0
Grafton County, NH 39.2 Normal +2.6
Hillsborough County, NH 38.1 Normal +1.5
Rockingham County, NH 30.4 Healthy -6.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Merrimack County
Porter County, IN 36.6 Normal +0.1
La Crosse County, WI 36.6 Normal +0.1
Otter Tail County, MN 36.7 Normal +0.1
Midland County, MI 36.4 Normal -0.2
Saline County, AR 36.8 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Merrimack County

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

New Hampshire Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 603-229-0002

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Merrimack County residents at no cost.

New Hampshire Legal Assistance 1-800-639-5290
603 Legal Aid 1-800-639-5290

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Merrimack County, New Hampshire?

    Merrimack County has a County Distress Index score of 36.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,561st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in New Hampshire out of 10 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Merrimack County?

    The primary driver of distress in Merrimack County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 71.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Merrimack County compare to neighboring counties?

    Merrimack County (36.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Sullivan County, NH (48.7); Strafford County, NH (45.1); Belknap County, NH (42.6).

  • 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 Merrimack County?

    Merrimack County, New Hampshire has a population of approximately 157,103 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.