Somerset County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.4 | 348,842 people · 19th most distressed in New Jersey
American Default Research

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Somerset County, NJ ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.4 — 2839th 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 19th 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. Somerset County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 72.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 72.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Employment & Wages 47.3
Unemployment Rate 55
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 15
Debt & Delinquency 21.2
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 19
Student Loan Delinquency 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 25
Credit Card Delinquency 12
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 40
Community Vulnerability 13.5
Uninsured Rate 26
Disability Rate 1
Income & Poverty 2.7
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 2

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Somerset County
Somerset County, NJ 31.4 Healthy —
Union County, NJ 52.5 Elevated +21.1
Mercer County, NJ 49.3 Normal +17.9
Middlesex County, NJ 43.5 Normal +12.1
Hunterdon County, NJ 26.6 Healthy -4.8
Morris County, NJ 26.4 Healthy -5.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Somerset County
Boulder County, CO 31.4 Healthy +0.1
Anne Arundel County, MD 31.2 Healthy -0.2
Dane County, WI 31.7 Healthy +0.3
Ottawa County, MI 31.8 Healthy +0.4
Union County, NC 31.9 Healthy +0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Somerset County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Somerset County.

CENTRAL JERSEY HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER, INC.
Somerville
908-446-0036 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabHomeless/Displacement

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 Somerset 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 Somerset County, New Jersey?

    Somerset County has a County Distress Index score of 31.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,839th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Somerset County?

    The primary driver of distress in Somerset County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 72.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Somerset County compare to neighboring counties?

    Somerset County (31.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Union County, NJ (52.5); Mercer County, NJ (49.3); Middlesex County, NJ (43.5).

  • 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 Somerset County?

    Somerset County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 348,842 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.