Marion County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.3 | 968,460 people · 11th most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

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Marion County, IN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.3 — 1060th 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 Indiana, it ranks 11th of 92 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Marion County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 84.7 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 84.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 96
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Debt & Delinquency 82.2
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 64
Student Loan Delinquency 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Income & Poverty 59.6
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 64
Community Vulnerability 42.8
Uninsured Rate 58
Disability Rate 28
Employment & Wages 16.9
Unemployment Rate 16
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 2

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Marion County
Marion County, IN 57.3 Elevated —
Shelby County, IN 47.1 Normal -10.2
Morgan County, IN 43.2 Normal -14.1
Johnson County, IN 32.7 Healthy -24.5
Hendricks County, IN 29.1 Healthy -28.2
Hancock County, IN 28.8 Healthy -28.4
Boone County, IN 21.0 Healthy -36.2
Hamilton County, IN 16.6 Healthy -40.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Marion County
Pinellas County, FL 57.7 Elevated +0.5
Oklahoma County, OK 56.7 Elevated -0.5
Alachua County, FL 57.8 Elevated +0.6
Winnebago County, IL 56.7 Elevated -0.6
Bristol County, MA 57.9 Elevated +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marion County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Marion County.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF GREATER INDIANAPOLIS
Indianapolis
317-777-6084 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
INDIANAPOLIS NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING PARTNERSHIP
Indianapolis
317-610-0464 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
INDIANAPOLIS NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING PARTNERSHIP HOMEOWNERSHIP CENTER AT GLENDALE
INDIANAPOLIS
317-610-4663 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
INTEND INDIANA, INC
Indianapolis
317-924-8116-141 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
NID-HCA MARION COUNTY
INDIANAPOLIS
833-364-3422 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpHome Improvement/RehabHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in Indiana →

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 Marion 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Marion County has a County Distress Index score of 57.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,060th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marion County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marion County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 84.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Marion County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marion County (57.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Shelby County, IN (47.1); Morgan County, IN (43.2); Johnson County, IN (32.7).

  • 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 Marion County?

    Marion County, Indiana has a population of approximately 968,460 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.