Jefferson County, New York

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.1 | 114,787 people · 10th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Jefferson County, NY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.1 — 1278th 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 10th of 62 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Jefferson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 74.6 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 74.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Employment & Wages 68.7
Unemployment Rate 78
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 47
Income & Poverty 59.0
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 55
Debt & Delinquency 34.3
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 44
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Community Vulnerability 33.9
Uninsured Rate 27
Disability Rate 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Jefferson County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, NY 54.1 Elevated —
St. Lawrence County, NY 56.0 Elevated +1.9
Oswego County, NY 55.0 Elevated +0.9
Cayuga County, NY 45.3 Normal -8.9
Lewis County, NY 41.0 Normal -13.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Jefferson County
Rock Island County, IL 54.2 Elevated +0.1
Montgomery County, TN 54.2 Elevated +0.1
Yavapai County, AZ 54.0 Elevated -0.1
Terrebonne Parish, LA 54.0 Elevated -0.1
Rowan County, NC 54.2 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Jefferson County.

NEIGHBORS OF WATERTOWN, INC.
Watertown
315-782-8497 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase

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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, New York?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 54.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,278th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 74.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (54.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: St. Lawrence County, NY (56.0); Oswego County, NY (55.0); Cayuga County, NY (45.3).

  • 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, New York has a population of approximately 114,787 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.