Columbia County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.3 | 65,439 people · 35th most distressed in Pennsylvania
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Columbia County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.3 — 1879th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Pennsylvania, it ranks 35th of 67 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. Columbia County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 71.4 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 71.4
Unemployment Rate 69
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 79
Housing Cost Burden 53.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 40
Homeownership Rate 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Debt & Delinquency 41.8
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 47
Student Loan Delinquency 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 34
Credit Card Delinquency 37
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 57
Income & Poverty 39.2
Poverty Rate 42
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 29
Community Vulnerability 25.9
Uninsured Rate 11
Disability Rate 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Columbia County
Columbia County, PA 46.3 Normal —
Luzerne County, PA 60.9 Elevated +14.6
Lycoming County, PA 55.8 Elevated +9.5
Schuylkill County, PA 52.7 Elevated +6.4
Northumberland County, PA 45.9 Normal -0.4
Sullivan County, PA 43.1 Normal -3.2
Montour County, PA 31.4 Healthy -14.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Columbia County
Carteret County, NC 46.3 Normal +0.0
Johnston County, NC 46.4 Normal +0.1
Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK 46.2 Normal -0.1
St. Louis County, MN 46.1 Normal -0.2
Brunswick County, NC 46.0 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Columbia County

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 Columbia 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 Columbia County, Pennsylvania?

    Columbia County has a County Distress Index score of 46.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,879th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Columbia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Columbia County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 71.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Columbia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Columbia County (46.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Luzerne County, PA (60.9); Lycoming County, PA (55.8); Schuylkill County, PA (52.7).

  • 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 Columbia County?

    Columbia County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 65,439 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.