Otsego County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.8 | 60,126 people · 37th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Otsego County, NY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.8 — 1917th 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 37th of 62 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Otsego County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 70.2 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 70.2
Unemployment Rate 74
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 91
Income & Poverty 58.9
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 54
Housing Cost Burden 55.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 68
Debt & Delinquency 22.6
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 38
Community Vulnerability 21.7
Uninsured Rate 13
Disability Rate 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Otsego County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Otsego County
Otsego County, NY 45.8 Normal —
Montgomery County, NY 62.9 Elevated +17.1
Oneida County, NY 51.8 Elevated +6.1
Herkimer County, NY 50.8 Elevated +5.0
Delaware County, NY 50.6 Elevated +4.9
Schoharie County, NY 50.5 Elevated +4.7
Chenango County, NY 49.0 Normal +3.3
Madison County, NY 41.7 Normal -4.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Otsego County
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK 45.8 Normal 0.0
Bonner County, ID 45.7 Normal -0.1
Wayne County, PA 45.6 Normal -0.1
Beaufort County, SC 45.9 Normal +0.1
Wilson County, TX 45.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Otsego 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 Otsego 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 Otsego County, New York?

    Otsego County has a County Distress Index score of 45.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,917th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Otsego County?

    The primary driver of distress in Otsego County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 70.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Otsego County compare to neighboring counties?

    Otsego County (45.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Montgomery County, NY (62.9); Oneida County, NY (51.8); Herkimer County, NY (50.8).

  • 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 Otsego County?

    Otsego County, New York has a population of approximately 60,126 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.