Decatur County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.4 | 26,399 people · 76th most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

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Decatur County, IN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.4 — 2734th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Indiana, it ranks 76th of 92 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Decatur County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 61.4 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 61.4
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 85
Student Loan Delinquency 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Employment & Wages 35.2
Unemployment Rate 10
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 73
Housing Cost Burden 30.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 20
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 48
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 20
Income & Poverty 26.8
Poverty Rate 25
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 21
Community Vulnerability 13.0
Uninsured Rate 8
Disability Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Decatur County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Decatur County
Decatur County, IN 33.4 Healthy —
Jennings County, IN 53.9 Elevated +20.5
Shelby County, IN 47.1 Normal +13.7
Rush County, IN 43.2 Normal +9.8
Ripley County, IN 37.5 Normal +4.1
Bartholomew County, IN 37.0 Normal +3.6
Franklin County, IN 32.2 Healthy -1.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Decatur County
Grand County, CO 33.4 Healthy -0.0
Cerro Gordo County, IA 33.5 Healthy +0.0
Hardin County, IA 33.5 Healthy +0.1
Poweshiek County, IA 33.5 Healthy +0.1
Winnebago County, IA 33.5 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Decatur 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 Decatur 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Decatur County has a County Distress Index score of 33.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,734th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 76th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Decatur County?

    The primary driver of distress in Decatur County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 61.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Decatur County compare to neighboring counties?

    Decatur County (33.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jennings County, IN (53.9); Shelby County, IN (47.1); Rush County, IN (43.2).

  • 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 Decatur County?

    Decatur County, Indiana has a population of approximately 26,399 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.