Monroe County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.0 | 139,342 people · 41st most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

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Monroe County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.0 — 1902nd 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 41st of 92 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Monroe County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 84.9 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 84.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 98
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Income & Poverty 58.7
Poverty Rate 77
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 27
Employment & Wages 35.3
Unemployment Rate 4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 54
Debt & Delinquency 32.9
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 47
Student Loan Delinquency 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 10
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43
Community Vulnerability 18.0
Uninsured Rate 21
Disability Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Monroe County
Monroe County, IN 46.0 Normal —
Greene County, IN 50.8 Elevated +4.8
Owen County, IN 46.3 Normal +0.4
Brown County, IN 46.1 Normal +0.2
Lawrence County, IN 44.5 Normal -1.5
Morgan County, IN 43.2 Normal -2.8
Jackson County, IN 38.7 Normal -7.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Monroe County
Steuben County, NY 46.0 Normal 0.0
Knox County, OH 46.0 Normal -0.0
Northumberland County, PA 45.9 Normal -0.0
Brunswick County, NC 46.0 Normal +0.1
Beaufort County, SC 45.9 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Monroe County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Monroe County.

CITY OF BLOOMINGTON - HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT (HAND)
Bloomington
812-349-3420 Website
Foreclosure PreventionHomeless/DisplacementPost-PurchasePre-Lease/Pre-Purchase

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 Monroe 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 Monroe County, Indiana?

    Monroe County has a County Distress Index score of 46.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,902nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Monroe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Monroe County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 84.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Monroe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Monroe County (46.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Greene County, IN (50.8); Owen County, IN (46.3); Brown County, IN (46.1).

  • 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 Monroe County?

    Monroe County, Indiana has a population of approximately 139,342 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.