DeKalb County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.1 | 44,198 people · 78th most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

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DeKalb County, IN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.1 — 2752nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency rates remain below the national norm. Within Indiana, it ranks 78th 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. DeKalb County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 44.7 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 44.7
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 43
Student Loan Delinquency 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Community Vulnerability 37.6
Uninsured Rate 38
Disability Rate 37
Income & Poverty 31.4
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 42
Child Poverty Rate 21
Housing Cost Burden 27.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 40
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 43
Homeownership Rate 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 9
Employment & Wages 24.6
Unemployment Rate 6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 4
Business Formation Rate 64

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. DeKalb County
DeKalb County, IN 33.1 Healthy —
Williams County, OH 49.2 Normal +16.1
Allen County, IN 43.8 Normal +10.6
Noble County, IN 42.5 Normal +9.4
Defiance County, OH 37.5 Normal +4.4
Steuben County, IN 35.7 Normal +2.6
LaGrange County, IN 29.0 Healthy -4.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. DeKalb County
Gunnison County, CO 33.1 Healthy +0.0
Emmet County, MI 33.2 Healthy +0.1
Clarke County, VA 33.0 Healthy -0.1
Custer County, NE 33.3 Healthy +0.1
Elk County, PA 33.3 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in DeKalb 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 DeKalb 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 DeKalb County, Indiana?

    DeKalb County has a County Distress Index score of 33.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,752nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 78th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in DeKalb County?

    The primary driver of distress in DeKalb County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 44.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does DeKalb County compare to neighboring counties?

    DeKalb County (33.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Williams County, OH (49.2); Allen County, IN (43.8); Noble County, IN (42.5).

  • 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 DeKalb County?

    DeKalb County, Indiana has a population of approximately 44,198 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.