Hunterdon County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Healthy · 26.6 | 130,183 people · 20th most distressed in New Jersey
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Hunterdon County, NJ ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 26.6 — 2996th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within New Jersey, it ranks 20th of 21 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hunterdon County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 61.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 61.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 98
Homeownership Rate 4
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Employment & Wages 56.6
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 28
Debt & Delinquency 10.0
Debt in Collections 2
Medical Debt 18
Student Loan Delinquency 3
Auto Loan Delinquency 2
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 29
Income & Poverty 2.4
Poverty Rate 0
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 0
Community Vulnerability 2.3
Uninsured Rate 2
Disability Rate 3

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Hunterdon County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hunterdon County
Hunterdon County, NJ 26.6 Healthy —
Mercer County, NJ 49.3 Normal +22.8
Warren County, NJ 40.8 Normal +14.2
Somerset County, NJ 31.4 Healthy +4.8
Bucks County, PA 29.8 Healthy +3.2
Morris County, NJ 26.4 Healthy -0.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hunterdon County
Scott County, MN 26.5 Healthy -0.1
Hanover County, VA 26.8 Healthy +0.2
Medina County, OH 26.9 Healthy +0.3
Cole County, MO 27.2 Healthy +0.6
St. Croix County, WI 25.9 Healthy -0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hunterdon County

Find an Attorney

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

New Jersey State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-792-8315

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Hunterdon County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of New Jersey 1-888-576-5529
Community Health Law Project
New Jersey State Bar Foundation — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-792-8315
Central Jersey Legal Services, Inc. (732) 249-7600
Essex-Newark Legal Services Project, Inc. (973) 624-4500
Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, Inc. (908) 231-0840
Northeast New Jersey Legal Services Corporation (201) 792-6363
South Jersey Legal Services, Inc. (800) 496-4570

Self-Help Resources

NJ Courts Foreclosure Self-Help Center Official NJ Courts self-help guidance on foreclosure proceedings

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Hunterdon County, New Jersey?

    Hunterdon County has a County Distress Index score of 26.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,996th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hunterdon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hunterdon County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 61.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hunterdon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hunterdon County (26.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Mercer County, NJ (49.3); Warren County, NJ (40.8); Somerset County, NJ (31.4).

  • 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 Hunterdon County?

    Hunterdon County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 130,183 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.