Columbia County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.5 | 60,470 people · 47th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Columbia County, NY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.5 — 2174th 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 47th of 62 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Columbia County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 74.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 74.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Employment & Wages 51.2
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 41
Income & Poverty 44.7
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 48
Community Vulnerability 23.7
Uninsured Rate 6
Disability Rate 41
Debt & Delinquency 18.7
Debt in Collections 13
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Columbia County
Columbia County, NY 42.5 Normal —
Berkshire County, MA 52.1 Elevated +9.6
Ulster County, NY 46.8 Normal +4.2
Greene County, NY 44.4 Normal +1.9
Rensselaer County, NY 43.8 Normal +1.2
Dutchess County, NY 38.6 Normal -4.0
Albany County, NY 36.9 Normal -5.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Columbia County
Loudon County, TN 42.5 Normal -0.1
Laramie County, WY 42.5 Normal -0.1
Belknap County, NH 42.6 Normal +0.1
Miami County, OH 42.6 Normal +0.1
Charles County, MD 42.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Columbia County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Columbia County.

GALVAN HOUSING RESOURCES, INC.
Hudson
518-822-0707
Foreclosure PreventionHome Improvement/RehabHomeless/DisplacementRental Help

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 Columbia 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 Columbia County, New York?

    Columbia County has a County Distress Index score of 42.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,174th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Columbia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Columbia County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 74.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Columbia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Columbia County (42.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Berkshire County, MA (52.1); Ulster County, NY (46.8); 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 Columbia County?

    Columbia County, New York has a population of approximately 60,470 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.