Delaware County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.6 | 576,720 people · 42nd most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Delaware County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.6 — 2023rd 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 42nd of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Delaware County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 86.6 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 86.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 87
Homeownership Rate 72
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Debt & Delinquency 50.0
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 43
Student Loan Delinquency 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Employment & Wages 48.9
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 27
Income & Poverty 21.5
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 28
Community Vulnerability 16.2
Uninsured Rate 15
Disability Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Delaware County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Delaware County
Delaware County, PA 44.6 Normal —
Philadelphia County, PA 66.7 Serious +22.1
New Castle County, DE 49.5 Normal +4.8
Gloucester County, NJ 45.0 Normal +0.4
Montgomery County, PA 26.9 Healthy -17.8
Chester County, PA 23.8 Healthy -20.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Delaware County
Arapahoe County, CO 44.6 Normal 0.0
Ramsey County, MN 44.8 Normal +0.1
Northampton County, PA 44.5 Normal -0.2
Brazoria County, TX 44.9 Normal +0.3
Gloucester County, NJ 45.0 Normal +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Delaware County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Delaware County.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING CENTERS OF PENNSYLVANIA - DELAWARE COUNTY
Upper Darby
215-765-1221 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
CCCS OF DELAWARE VALLEY, INC. DBA CLARIFI
Upper Darby
800-989-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseRental Help
CHESTER COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Chester
610-876-8663 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
MEDIA FELLOWSHIP HOUSE
Media
610-565-0434 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPre-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 Delaware 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 Delaware County, Pennsylvania?

    Delaware County has a County Distress Index score of 44.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,023rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Delaware County?

    The primary driver of distress in Delaware County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 86.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Delaware County compare to neighboring counties?

    Delaware County (44.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Philadelphia County, PA (66.7); New Castle County, DE (49.5); Gloucester County, NJ (45.0).

  • 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 Delaware County?

    Delaware County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 576,720 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.