Delaware County, New York

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.6 | 44,410 people · 21st most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Delaware County, NY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.6 — 1544th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Income & Poverty, where poverty rates are high and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within New York, it ranks 21st of 62 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Delaware County's primary driver is Income & Poverty at 75.0 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Income & Poverty Primary driver 75.0
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 67
Housing Cost Burden 61.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Employment & Wages 43.8
Unemployment Rate 67
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 4
Business Formation Rate 60
Community Vulnerability 41.6
Uninsured Rate 13
Disability Rate 70
Debt & Delinquency 31.5
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Delaware County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Delaware County
Delaware County, NY 50.6 Elevated —
Sullivan County, NY 52.4 Elevated +1.8
Broome County, NY 52.3 Elevated +1.6
Schoharie County, NY 50.5 Elevated -0.2
Chenango County, NY 49.0 Normal -1.6
Ulster County, NY 46.8 Normal -3.9
Otsego County, NY 45.8 Normal -4.9
Wayne County, PA 45.6 Normal -5.0
Greene County, NY 44.4 Normal -6.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Delaware County
Mason County, IL 50.7 Elevated +0.1
Tioga County, PA 50.7 Elevated +0.1
Kittitas County, WA 50.7 Elevated +0.1
Cherokee County, AL 50.5 Elevated -0.1
Fulton County, IN 50.8 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Delaware County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Delaware County.

DELAWARE OPPORTUNITIES, INCORPORATED
Hamden
607-746-1600
Foreclosure PreventionHome Improvement/RehabHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase
WESTERN CATSKILLS COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION COUNCIL, INC
Stamford
607-652-2823 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing

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 Delaware 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 Delaware County, New York?

    Delaware County has a County Distress Index score of 50.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,544th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Delaware County?

    The primary driver of distress in Delaware County is Income & Poverty, where the county scores 75.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median, Child Poverty Rate.

  • How does Delaware County compare to neighboring counties?

    Delaware County (50.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Sullivan County, NY (52.4); Broome County, NY (52.3); Schoharie County, NY (50.5).

  • 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 Delaware County?

    Delaware County, New York has a population of approximately 44,410 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.