Chittenden County, Vermont

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.5 | 169,481 people · 13th most distressed in Vermont
American Default Research

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Chittenden County, VT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.5 — 2870th 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 Vermont, it ranks 13th of 14 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Chittenden County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 91.5 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 91.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Employment & Wages 39.5
Unemployment Rate 1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 26
Community Vulnerability 8.1
Uninsured Rate 3
Disability Rate 13
Debt & Delinquency 7.5
Debt in Collections 6
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 6
Auto Loan Delinquency 13
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7
Income & Poverty 6.0
Poverty Rate 6
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 2

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Chittenden County
Chittenden County, VT 30.5 Healthy —
Clinton County, NY 53.2 Elevated +22.7
Essex County, NY 45.4 Normal +14.8
Franklin County, VT 39.1 Normal +8.5
Grand Isle County, VT 38.6 Normal +8.1
Lamoille County, VT 33.0 Healthy +2.4
Addison County, VT 31.6 Healthy +1.0
Washington County, VT 28.9 Healthy -1.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Chittenden County
Tooele County, UT 30.6 Healthy +0.1
Albemarle County, VA 30.6 Healthy +0.1
Roanoke County, VA 30.3 Healthy -0.3
Shelby County, AL 30.2 Healthy -0.4
Grand Traverse County, MI 30.9 Healthy +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chittenden County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Chittenden County.

CHAMPLAIN HOUSING TRUST
Burlington
802-861-7394 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
OPPORTUNITIES CREDIT UNION
Burlington
802-495-5456 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Vermont →

Find an Attorney

Vermont Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Vermont Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 802-223-2020

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Chittenden County residents at no cost.

Vermont Legal Aid 1-800-889-2047
Legal Services Vermont (800) 889-2047

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 Chittenden County, Vermont?

    Chittenden County has a County Distress Index score of 30.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,870th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Vermont out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chittenden County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chittenden County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 91.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Chittenden County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chittenden County (30.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Clinton County, NY (53.2); Essex County, NY (45.4); Franklin County, VT (39.1).

  • 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 Chittenden County?

    Chittenden County, Vermont has a population of approximately 169,481 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.