Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
County Distress Index score and five-domain breakdown for Allegheny County. Population: 1,224,825 (metro).
Data: Census, BLS, Urban Institute, HUD, US Courts | Scores as of 2026-03-17
Allegheny County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.2 — 2647th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Pennsylvania, it ranks 58th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.
Five-Domain Breakdown
How Allegheny County compares to all U.S. counties across five dimensions of financial distress. Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.
Housing Cost Burden
Primary DriverDebt & Delinquency
Income & Poverty
Employment & Wages
Community Vulnerability
How Allegheny County Compares
Neighboring Counties
| County | Score | Zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny County, PA | 35.2 | Normal | — |
| Beaver County, PA | 44.2 | Normal | +9.0 |
| Armstrong County, PA | 43.1 | Normal | +8.0 |
| Westmoreland County, PA | 39.3 | Normal | +4.1 |
| Washington County, PA | 33.1 | Healthy | -2.0 |
| Butler County, PA | 29.4 | Healthy | -5.8 |
Population Peers
Counties with similar population (metro) and closest distress scores nationally.
| County | Score | Zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County, NY | 35.1 | Normal | -0.0 |
| Montgomery County, MD | 34.8 | Healthy | -0.3 |
| Wake County, NC | 33.6 | Healthy | -1.5 |
| Middlesex County, MA | 33.3 | Healthy | -1.9 |
| Collin County, TX | 38.1 | Normal | +2.9 |
Download Data
Export all distress indicators for Allegheny County as a CSV file.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the distress score for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania?
Allegheny County has a County Distress Index score of 35.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,647th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.
What drives financial distress in Allegheny County?
The primary driver of distress in Allegheny County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 62.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).
How does Allegheny County compare to neighboring counties?
Allegheny County (35.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Beaver County, PA (44.2); Armstrong County, PA (43.1); Westmoreland County, PA (39.3).
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 Allegheny County?
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 1,224,825 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.