Essex County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.4 | 36,775 people · 41st most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Essex County, NY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.4 — 1947th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within New York, it ranks 41st of 62 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Essex County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 58.8 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 58.8
Unemployment Rate 58
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 44
Business Formation Rate 74
Housing Cost Burden 54.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 40
Income & Poverty 43.5
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 42
Child Poverty Rate 43
Community Vulnerability 38.7
Uninsured Rate 14
Disability Rate 63
Debt & Delinquency 30.9
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 66
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 Essex County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Essex County
Essex County, NY 45.4 Normal —
Clinton County, NY 53.2 Elevated +7.9
Franklin County, NY 49.0 Normal +3.6
Washington County, NY 48.8 Normal +3.4
Warren County, NY 48.4 Normal +3.0
Hamilton County, NY 40.9 Normal -4.5
Addison County, VT 31.6 Healthy -13.8
Chittenden County, VT 30.5 Healthy -14.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Essex County
Jerome County, ID 45.4 Normal -0.0
Christian County, IL 45.4 Normal +0.0
Houghton County, MI 45.3 Normal -0.0
Martin County, MN 45.4 Normal +0.0
Greene County, GA 45.3 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Essex County

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 Essex 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 Essex County, New York?

    Essex County has a County Distress Index score of 45.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,947th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Essex County?

    The primary driver of distress in Essex County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 58.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Essex County compare to neighboring counties?

    Essex County (45.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Clinton County, NY (53.2); Franklin County, NY (49.0); Washington County, NY (48.8).

  • 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 Essex County?

    Essex County, New York has a population of approximately 36,775 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.