Albany County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.9 | 316,659 people · 57th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Albany County, NY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.9 — 2543rd 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 York, it ranks 57th of 62 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Albany County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.8 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Debt & Delinquency 33.0
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 33
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 45
Income & Poverty 32.1
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 33
Employment & Wages 28.0
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 1
Community Vulnerability 11.4
Uninsured Rate 2
Disability Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Albany County
Albany County, NY 36.9 Normal —
Schoharie County, NY 50.5 Elevated +13.6
Schenectady County, NY 50.4 Elevated +13.6
Greene County, NY 44.4 Normal +7.5
Rensselaer County, NY 43.8 Normal +6.9
Columbia County, NY 42.5 Normal +5.7
Saratoga County, NY 29.7 Healthy -7.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Albany County
Westchester County, NY 37.0 Normal +0.1
Bergen County, NJ 37.1 Normal +0.2
Williamson County, TX 37.2 Normal +0.3
Madison County, AL 36.5 Normal -0.4
Will County, IL 36.4 Normal -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Albany County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Albany County.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP
Albany
518-434-1730 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
ALBANY COUNTY RURAL HOUSING ALLIANCE, INC.
Voorheesville
518-765-2425
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in New York →

Find an Attorney

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

New York State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-342-3661

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Albany County residents at no cost.

Legal Services NYC 1-917-661-4500
Legal Aid Society 1-212-577-3300
Empire Justice Center 1-585-454-4060
Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York 1-800-462-2922
Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc. (877) 777-6152
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (585) 325-2520
Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (877) 574-8529
Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee, Inc. (631) 232-2400
Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. (716) 847-0650

Self-Help Resources

NYCourts.gov Foreclosure Help Official court system page with information about the foreclosure process, settlement conferences, and available resources. Includes court forms and instructions for pro se litigants.
LawHelp NY — Foreclosure Resources Comprehensive self-help legal information portal for New York residents. Includes foreclosure guides, court form generators, and legal services finder organized by county.

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 York →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Albany County, New York?

    Albany County has a County Distress Index score of 36.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,543rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 57th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Albany County?

    The primary driver of distress in Albany County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Albany County compare to neighboring counties?

    Albany County (36.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Schoharie County, NY (50.5); Schenectady County, NY (50.4); Greene County, NY (44.4).

  • 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 Albany County?

    Albany County, New York has a population of approximately 316,659 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.