Ontario County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.3 | 112,494 people · 55th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Ontario County, NY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.2 — 2460th 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 55th of 62 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Ontario County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 68.3 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 68.3
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 86
Housing Cost Burden 65.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Community Vulnerability 22.5
Uninsured Rate 3
Disability Rate 42
Debt & Delinquency 22.0
Debt in Collections 26
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17
Income & Poverty 13.5
Poverty Rate 8
Income vs. State Median 21
Child Poverty Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Ontario County
Ontario County, NY 38.3 Normal —
Seneca County, NY 60.6 Elevated +22.4
Yates County, NY 50.5 Elevated +12.2
Monroe County, NY 47.9 Normal +9.7
Steuben County, NY 46.0 Normal +7.7
Livingston County, NY 45.4 Normal +7.1
Wayne County, NY 44.7 Normal +6.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Ontario County
Franklin County, MO 38.3 Normal +0.0
Stearns County, MN 38.2 Normal -0.0
Moore County, NC 38.2 Normal -0.1
Wayne County, OH 38.2 Normal -0.1
Floyd County, IN 38.3 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ontario County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Ontario County.

PATHSTONE CORPORATION- CANANDAIGUA, NY
Canandaigua
585-626-4097 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Ontario 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 Ontario County, New York?

    Ontario County has a County Distress Index score of 38.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,460th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ontario County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ontario County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 68.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Ontario County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ontario County (38.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Seneca County, NY (60.6); Yates County, NY (50.5); Monroe County, NY (47.9).

  • 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 Ontario County?

    Ontario County, New York has a population of approximately 112,494 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.