Niagara County, New York

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.5 | 209,457 people · 16th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Niagara County, NY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.5 — 1415th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within New York, it ranks 16th of 62 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Niagara County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 73.9 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 73.9
Unemployment Rate 69
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 77
Housing Cost Burden 72.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 60
Homeownership Rate 67
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Income & Poverty 57.6
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 60
Child Poverty Rate 61
Debt & Delinquency 35.8
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 20
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 45
Community Vulnerability 22.6
Uninsured Rate 1
Disability Rate 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Niagara County compares to its 3 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Niagara County
Niagara County, NY 52.5 Elevated —
Orleans County, NY 54.0 Elevated +1.5
Erie County, NY 45.6 Normal -6.9
Genesee County, NY 40.4 Normal -12.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Niagara County
Harnett County, NC 52.5 Elevated -0.0
Sullivan County, NY 52.4 Elevated -0.1
Georgetown County, SC 52.6 Elevated +0.1
LaPorte County, IN 52.6 Elevated +0.2
Fulton County, NY 52.6 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Niagara 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 Niagara 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Niagara County has a County Distress Index score of 52.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,415th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Niagara County?

    The primary driver of distress in Niagara County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 73.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Niagara County compare to neighboring counties?

    Niagara County (52.5) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Orleans County, NY (54.0); Erie County, NY (45.6); Genesee County, NY (40.4).

  • 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 Niagara County?

    Niagara County, New York has a population of approximately 209,457 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.