York County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.0 | 298,320 people · 43rd most distressed in South Carolina
American Default Research

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York County, SC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.0 — 1899th 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 South Carolina, it ranks 43rd of 46 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. York County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 70.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 70.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 76
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Employment & Wages 60.4
Unemployment Rate 78
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 15
Debt & Delinquency 56.2
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 76
Student Loan Delinquency 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Community Vulnerability 29.1
Uninsured Rate 51
Disability Rate 7
Income & Poverty 13.7
Poverty Rate 17
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

How York County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. York County
York County, SC 46.0 Normal —
Union County, SC 74.8 Serious +28.8
Chester County, SC 64.0 Elevated +18.0
Cleveland County, NC 60.5 Elevated +14.5
Gaston County, NC 60.4 Elevated +14.4
Cherokee County, SC 58.4 Elevated +12.4
Mecklenburg County, NC 44.0 Normal -2.0
Lancaster County, SC 39.8 Normal -6.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. York County
Lexington County, SC 46.0 Normal +0.0
Montgomery County, TX 46.1 Normal +0.1
Thurston County, WA 45.8 Normal -0.2
Onondaga County, NY 45.7 Normal -0.3
Sussex County, DE 46.3 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in York County

Find an Attorney

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 803-799-7100

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving York County residents at no cost.

SC Legal Services (Palmetto Legal Services / Greater Columbia Community Relations Council) 1-888-346-5592
Upstate Legal Services 864-679-3232
Pro Bono Legal Services — SC Bar 803-799-6653
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services 843-853-3304
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (888) 346-5592

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 York County, South Carolina?

    York County has a County Distress Index score of 46.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,899th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in York County?

    The primary driver of distress in York County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 70.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does York County compare to neighboring counties?

    York County (46.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Union County, SC (74.8); Chester County, SC (64.0); Cleveland County, NC (60.5).

  • 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 York County?

    York County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 298,320 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.