Middlesex County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.5 | 863,623 people · 13th most distressed in New Jersey
American Default Research

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Middlesex County, NJ falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.5 — 2123rd 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 Jersey, it ranks 13th of 21 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Middlesex County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 85.0 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 85.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 98
Homeownership Rate 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Employment & Wages 57.7
Unemployment Rate 69
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 11
Debt & Delinquency 34.3
Debt in Collections 19
Medical Debt 24
Student Loan Delinquency 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 41
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 55
Community Vulnerability 22.5
Uninsured Rate 41
Disability Rate 4
Income & Poverty 17.8
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Middlesex County
Middlesex County, NJ 43.5 Normal —
Union County, NJ 52.5 Elevated +9.0
Mercer County, NJ 49.3 Normal +5.9
Richmond County, NY 47.1 Normal +3.7
Monmouth County, NJ 35.9 Normal -7.5
Somerset County, NJ 31.4 Healthy -12.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Middlesex County
Anchorage Municipality, AK 43.4 Normal -0.1
Virginia Beach city, VA 43.4 Normal -0.1
Allen County, IN 43.8 Normal +0.3
Kalamazoo County, MI 43.8 Normal +0.3
Butler County, OH 43.9 Normal +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Middlesex County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Middlesex County.

PUERTO RICAN ACTION BOARD, INC.
East Brunswick
732-832-7535 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
PUERTO RICAN ASSOCIATION FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, INC.
Perth Amboy
732-638-2824
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PERTH AMBOY
PERTH AMBOY
732-826-3110-631 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in New Jersey →

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 Middlesex 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

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 New Jersey →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Middlesex County has a County Distress Index score of 43.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,123rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Middlesex County?

    The primary driver of distress in Middlesex County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 85.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Middlesex County compare to neighboring counties?

    Middlesex County (43.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Union County, NJ (52.5); Mercer County, NJ (49.3); Richmond County, NY (47.1).

  • 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 Middlesex County?

    Middlesex County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 863,623 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.