Tompkins County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.6 | 103,558 people · 31st most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Tompkins County, NY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.6 — 1784th 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 31st of 62 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Tompkins County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 93.0 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 93.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 98
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 74
Homeownership Rate 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 96
Employment & Wages 69.1
Unemployment Rate 38
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 89
Income & Poverty 46.5
Poverty Rate 66
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 22
Debt & Delinquency 16.2
Debt in Collections 9
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 33
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 6
Community Vulnerability 13.2
Uninsured Rate 10
Disability Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Tompkins County
Tompkins County, NY 47.6 Normal —
Seneca County, NY 60.6 Elevated +13.1
Chemung County, NY 58.4 Elevated +10.8
Cortland County, NY 53.2 Elevated +5.6
Schuyler County, NY 46.2 Normal -1.4
Tioga County, NY 45.6 Normal -2.0
Cayuga County, NY 45.3 Normal -2.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Tompkins County
Tippecanoe County, IN 47.6 Normal -0.0
Hardin County, KY 47.6 Normal +0.0
Ashland County, OH 47.5 Normal -0.1
Adams County, IL 47.5 Normal -0.1
McCracken County, KY 47.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Tompkins County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Tompkins County.

ITHACA NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES, INC.
Ithaca
607-277-4500 Website
Post-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 Tompkins 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 Tompkins County, New York?

    Tompkins County has a County Distress Index score of 47.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,784th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 31st in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Tompkins County?

    The primary driver of distress in Tompkins County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 93.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Tompkins County compare to neighboring counties?

    Tompkins County (47.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Seneca County, NY (60.6); Chemung County, NY (58.4); Cortland County, NY (53.2).

  • 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 Tompkins County?

    Tompkins County, New York has a population of approximately 103,558 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.