Union County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.5 | 572,726 people · 8th most distressed in New Jersey
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Union County, NJ registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.5 — 1414th 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 8th of 21 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Union County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 90.7 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 90.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 90
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Employment & Wages 55.7
Unemployment Rate 76
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 7
Debt & Delinquency 52.0
Debt in Collections 37
Medical Debt 22
Student Loan Delinquency 62
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Community Vulnerability 40.8
Uninsured Rate 79
Disability Rate 3
Income & Poverty 23.3
Poverty Rate 12
Income vs. State Median 42
Child Poverty Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Union County
Union County, NJ 52.5 Elevated —
Essex County, NJ 66.7 Serious +14.2
Hudson County, NJ 60.2 Elevated +7.7
Richmond County, NY 47.1 Normal -5.4
Middlesex County, NJ 43.5 Normal -9.0
Somerset County, NJ 31.4 Healthy -21.1
Morris County, NJ 26.4 Healthy -26.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Union County
Lehigh County, PA 52.3 Elevated -0.2
Bernalillo County, NM 52.8 Elevated +0.3
Gwinnett County, GA 52.8 Elevated +0.3
Erie County, PA 52.1 Elevated -0.4
Jackson County, MO 52.9 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Union County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Union County.

NEIGHBORHOODS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE fka NHS of Staten Island
Linden
908-808-4035
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
NID-HCA PLAINFIELD
Plainfield
833-364-3422 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpHome Improvement/RehabHomeless/Displacement
URBAN LEAGUE OF UNION COUNTY
Elizabeth
908-351-7200 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Union 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Union County has a County Distress Index score of 52.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,414th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Union County?

    The primary driver of distress in Union County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 90.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Union County compare to neighboring counties?

    Union County (52.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Essex County, NJ (66.7); Hudson County, NJ (60.2); 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 Union County?

    Union County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 572,726 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.