Hamilton County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 16.6 | 371,645 people · 92nd most distressed in Indiana
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Hamilton County, IN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 16.6 — 3138th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Indiana, it ranks 92nd of 92 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hamilton County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 38.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 38.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 2
Debt & Delinquency 22.7
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 35
Student Loan Delinquency 8
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 10
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 64
Employment & Wages 15.6
Unemployment Rate 2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 8
Community Vulnerability 5.4
Uninsured Rate 10
Disability Rate 1
Income & Poverty 0.5
Poverty Rate 0
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 0

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hamilton County
Hamilton County, IN 16.6 Healthy —
Madison County, IN 59.3 Elevated +42.7
Marion County, IN 57.3 Elevated +40.6
Clinton County, IN 38.3 Normal +21.7
Tipton County, IN 32.1 Healthy +15.5
Hancock County, IN 28.8 Healthy +12.2
Boone County, IN 21.0 Healthy +4.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hamilton County
Williamson County, TN 15.9 Healthy -0.7
Warren County, OH 21.2 Healthy +4.6
Waukesha County, WI 21.3 Healthy +4.7
St. Charles County, MO 22.0 Healthy +5.3
Johnson County, KS 22.3 Healthy +5.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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 Hamilton County, Indiana?

    Hamilton County has a County Distress Index score of 16.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,138th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 92nd in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hamilton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hamilton County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 38.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hamilton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hamilton County (16.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Madison County, IN (59.3); Marion County, IN (57.3); Clinton County, IN (38.3).

  • 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 Hamilton County?

    Hamilton County, Indiana has a population of approximately 371,645 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.