Bucks County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Healthy · 29.8 | 645,984 people · 64th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Bucks County, PA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 29.8 — 2895th 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 Pennsylvania, it ranks 64th of 67 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Bucks County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 65.9 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 65.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 42
Employment & Wages 49.8
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 26
Debt & Delinquency 22.3
Debt in Collections 18
Medical Debt 38
Student Loan Delinquency 12
Auto Loan Delinquency 15
Credit Card Delinquency 20
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Community Vulnerability 8.1
Uninsured Rate 7
Disability Rate 9
Income & Poverty 2.8
Poverty Rate 3
Income vs. State Median 2
Child Poverty Rate 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Bucks County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Bucks County
Bucks County, PA 29.8 Healthy —
Philadelphia County, PA 66.7 Serious +36.9
Lehigh County, PA 52.3 Elevated +22.5
Mercer County, NJ 49.3 Normal +19.6
Northampton County, PA 44.5 Normal +14.7
Warren County, NJ 40.8 Normal +11.0
Burlington County, NJ 38.9 Normal +9.1
Montgomery County, PA 26.9 Healthy -2.9
Hunterdon County, NJ 26.6 Healthy -3.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Bucks County
Brown County, WI 30.1 Healthy +0.4
San Francisco County, CA 29.2 Healthy -0.6
Rockingham County, NH 30.4 Healthy +0.6
Dakota County, MN 30.5 Healthy +0.7
Cumberland County, ME 30.7 Healthy +0.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bucks County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Bucks County.

BUCKS COUNTY HOUSING GROUP
Warminster
215-394-8259
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingHomeless/Displacement
CREDIT COUNSELING CENTER
Levittown
215-348-8003 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Lease/Pre-Purchase
CREDIT COUNSELING CENTER
Richboro
215-348-8003
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

See all counselors in Pennsylvania →

Find an Attorney

Pennsylvania Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Pennsylvania Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-932-0311

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Bucks County residents at no cost.

Community Legal Services of Philadelphia 215-981-3700
MidPenn Legal Services 1-800-326-9177
Neighborhood Legal Services Association 412-255-6700
Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN)
Laurel Legal Services, Inc. (800) 253-9558
Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (877) 429-5994
North Penn Legal Services, Inc. (877) 953-4250
Northwestern Legal Services (814) 452-6957
Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center (215) 981-3800
Summit Legal Aid (800) 846-0871

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 Pennsylvania →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Bucks County, Pennsylvania?

    Bucks County has a County Distress Index score of 29.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,895th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bucks County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bucks County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 65.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Bucks County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bucks County (29.8) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Philadelphia County, PA (66.7); Lehigh County, PA (52.3); Mercer County, NJ (49.3).

  • 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 Bucks County?

    Bucks County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 645,984 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.