Adams County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.5 | 36,288 people · 52nd most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Adams County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.5 — 2180th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where health coverage gaps and disability rates are moderately elevated. Within Indiana, it ranks 52nd of 92 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Adams County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 56.7 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 56.7
Uninsured Rate 98
Disability Rate 15
Employment & Wages 43.8
Unemployment Rate 6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 93
Income & Poverty 43.5
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 51
Child Poverty Rate 47
Debt & Delinquency 42.7
Debt in Collections 16
Medical Debt 52
Student Loan Delinquency 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 17
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Housing Cost Burden 25.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 30
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 23
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Adams County
Adams County, IN 42.5 Normal —
Jay County, IN 54.1 Elevated +11.6
Allen County, IN 43.8 Normal +1.3
Van Wert County, OH 38.7 Normal -3.7
Wells County, IN 35.5 Normal -6.9
Mercer County, OH 21.8 Healthy -20.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Adams County
Isanti County, MN 42.5 Normal +0.0
Noble County, IN 42.5 Normal +0.0
Champaign County, OH 42.4 Normal -0.1
Perry County, IN 42.4 Normal -0.1
Chippewa County, MN 42.4 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Adams County

Find an Attorney

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

Indiana State Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 317-639-5465

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Adams County residents at no cost.

Indiana Legal Services (ILS) 317-631-9410 (Indianapolis); 1-888-529-4917 (statewide hotline)
Legal Aid Society of Tippecanoe County 765-742-1050
Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic 317-429-4131

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 Indiana →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Adams County, Indiana?

    Adams County has a County Distress Index score of 42.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,180th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Adams County?

    The primary driver of distress in Adams County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 56.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Adams County compare to neighboring counties?

    Adams County (42.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jay County, IN (54.1); Allen County, IN (43.8); Van Wert County, OH (38.7).

  • 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 Adams County?

    Adams County, Indiana has a population of approximately 36,288 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.