Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.3 | 289,234 people · 28th most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Dauphin County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.3 — 1650th 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 28th of 67 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Dauphin County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 73.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 73.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 62
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Debt & Delinquency 59.0
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 61
Student Loan Delinquency 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Employment & Wages 44.9
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 29
Income & Poverty 40.1
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 56
Community Vulnerability 29.1
Uninsured Rate 32
Disability Rate 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Dauphin County
Dauphin County, PA 49.3 Normal —
Schuylkill County, PA 52.7 Elevated +3.4
Perry County, PA 48.3 Normal -1.0
Lebanon County, PA 47.1 Normal -2.2
Northumberland County, PA 45.9 Normal -3.3
Juniata County, PA 45.9 Normal -3.4
Lancaster County, PA 42.5 Normal -6.8
York County, PA 38.4 Normal -10.9
Cumberland County, PA 34.9 Healthy -14.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Dauphin County
Mercer County, NJ 49.3 Normal +0.1
San Luis Obispo County, CA 49.2 Normal -0.1
New Castle County, DE 49.5 Normal +0.2
Sarasota County, FL 49.5 Normal +0.2
Suffolk County, MA 49.0 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dauphin County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Dauphin County.

PENNSYLVANIA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY
HARRISBURG
800-342-2397 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
THE FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL OF THE CAPITAL REGION, INC
Harrisburg
717-238-9540 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase
TRI-COUNTY HDC LTD
Harrisburg
717-231-3604 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingPre-Lease/Pre-Purchase

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 Dauphin 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 Dauphin County, Pennsylvania?

    Dauphin County has a County Distress Index score of 49.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,650th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dauphin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dauphin County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 73.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Dauphin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dauphin County (49.3) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Schuylkill County, PA (52.7); Perry County, PA (48.3); Lebanon County, PA (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 Dauphin County?

    Dauphin County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 289,234 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.