Chester County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Healthy · 23.8 | 549,784 people · 67th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Chester County, PA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 23.8 — 3060th 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 67th of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Chester County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 59.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 59.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 70
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Employment & Wages 32.0
Unemployment Rate 10
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 38
Debt & Delinquency 18.7
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 34
Student Loan Delinquency 10
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 10
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Community Vulnerability 7.5
Uninsured Rate 11
Disability Rate 4
Income & Poverty 1.6
Poverty Rate 2
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 2

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Chester County
Chester County, PA 23.8 Healthy —
Berks County, PA 53.7 Elevated +30.0
New Castle County, DE 49.5 Normal +25.7
Cecil County, MD 48.4 Normal +24.7
Delaware County, PA 44.6 Normal +20.9
Lancaster County, PA 42.5 Normal +18.7
Montgomery County, PA 26.9 Healthy +3.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Chester County
Douglas County, CO 23.2 Healthy -0.5
Loudoun County, VA 22.8 Healthy -0.9
Forsyth County, GA 24.8 Healthy +1.0
Johnson County, KS 22.3 Healthy -1.4
St. Charles County, MO 22.0 Healthy -1.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chester County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Chester County.

HOUSING PARTNERSHIP OF CHESTER COUNTY
Downingtown
610-518-1522
Financial CounselingPre-Lease/Pre-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 Chester 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Chester County has a County Distress Index score of 23.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,060th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chester County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chester County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 59.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Chester County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chester County (23.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Berks County, PA (53.7); New Castle County, DE (49.5); Cecil County, MD (48.4).

  • 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 Chester County?

    Chester County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 549,784 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.