Porter County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.6 | 175,335 people · 68th most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

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Porter County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.6 — 2556th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Indiana, it ranks 68th 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. Porter County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 58.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 58.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Debt & Delinquency 49.9
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 37
Student Loan Delinquency 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Employment & Wages 45.4
Unemployment Rate 19
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 51
Income & Poverty 15.2
Poverty Rate 15
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 13
Community Vulnerability 14.1
Uninsured Rate 15
Disability Rate 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Porter County
Porter County, IN 36.6 Normal —
Lake County, IN 54.4 Elevated +17.7
Starke County, IN 54.3 Elevated +17.6
LaPorte County, IN 52.6 Elevated +16.0
Cook County, IL 50.8 Elevated +14.1
Berrien County, MI 50.1 Elevated +13.4
Jasper County, IN 38.0 Normal +1.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Porter County
La Crosse County, WI 36.6 Normal 0.0
Otter Tail County, MN 36.7 Normal +0.1
Merrimack County, NH 36.6 Normal -0.1
Saline County, AR 36.8 Normal +0.2
Midland County, MI 36.4 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Porter 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 Porter 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 Porter County, Indiana?

    Porter County has a County Distress Index score of 36.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,556th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 68th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Porter County?

    The primary driver of distress in Porter County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 58.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Porter County compare to neighboring counties?

    Porter County (36.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Lake County, IN (54.4); Starke County, IN (54.3); LaPorte County, IN (52.6).

  • 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 Porter County?

    Porter County, Indiana has a population of approximately 175,335 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.