Ulster County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.8 | 182,333 people · 34th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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Ulster County, NY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.8 — 1845th 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 34th 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. Ulster County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 86.5 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 86.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 97
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 71
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Employment & Wages 55.9
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 34
Community Vulnerability 33.7
Uninsured Rate 34
Disability Rate 34
Debt & Delinquency 30.4
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 45
Income & Poverty 27.3
Poverty Rate 43
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Ulster County
Ulster County, NY 46.8 Normal —
Sullivan County, NY 52.4 Elevated +5.7
Delaware County, NY 50.6 Elevated +3.9
Orange County, NY 47.1 Normal +0.3
Greene County, NY 44.4 Normal -2.4
Columbia County, NY 42.5 Normal -4.2
Dutchess County, NY 38.6 Normal -8.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Ulster County
Marion County, WV 46.8 Normal +0.0
Kent County, RI 46.7 Normal -0.0
Logan County, OK 46.9 Normal +0.1
Cass County, MI 46.6 Normal -0.1
Morgan County, AL 46.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ulster County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Ulster County.

RUPCO INC.
Kingston
845-331-2140 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
RUPCO, INC.
Kingston
845-331-2140 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-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 Ulster 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 Ulster County, New York?

    Ulster County has a County Distress Index score of 46.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,845th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ulster County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ulster County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 86.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Ulster County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ulster County (46.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Sullivan County, NY (52.4); Delaware County, NY (50.6); Orange County, NY (47.1).

  • 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 Ulster County?

    Ulster County, New York has a population of approximately 182,333 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.