Franklin County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.3 | 157,854 people · 40th most distressed in Pennsylvania
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Franklin County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.3 — 1953rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Pennsylvania, it ranks 40th of 67 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 8 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Franklin County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 60.7 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 60.7
Unemployment Rate 27
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 77
Housing Cost Burden 56.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Community Vulnerability 54.7
Uninsured Rate 59
Disability Rate 50
Debt & Delinquency 40.7
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 43
Student Loan Delinquency 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 50
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Income & Poverty 13.6
Poverty Rate 8
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Franklin County
Franklin County, PA 45.3 Normal —
Washington County, MD 53.5 Elevated +8.2
Perry County, PA 48.3 Normal +3.0
Huntingdon County, PA 46.0 Normal +0.7
Juniata County, PA 45.9 Normal +0.6
Fulton County, PA 40.0 Normal -5.3
Adams County, PA 38.7 Normal -6.6
Cumberland County, PA 34.9 Healthy -10.4
Frederick County, MD 32.9 Healthy -12.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Franklin County
Benton County, WA 45.3 Normal 0.0
Cayuga County, NY 45.3 Normal -0.0
Livingston County, NY 45.4 Normal +0.1
Natrona County, WY 45.4 Normal +0.1
Midland County, TX 45.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Franklin County.

PATHSTONE CORPORATION-PENNSYLVANIA
Chambersburg
717-264-5913 Website
Financial CounselingPre-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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, Pennsylvania?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 45.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,953rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 60.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (45.3) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Washington County, MD (53.5); Perry County, PA (48.3); Huntingdon County, PA (46.0).

  • 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 157,854 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.