Putnam County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.4 | 37,567 people · 69th most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

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Putnam County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.4 — 2569th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Indiana, it ranks 69th 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. Putnam County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 55.9 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 55.9
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 75
Student Loan Delinquency 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 59
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Housing Cost Burden 40.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Employment & Wages 37.6
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 60
Income & Poverty 26.3
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 23
Community Vulnerability 22.1
Uninsured Rate 7
Disability Rate 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Putnam County
Putnam County, IN 36.4 Normal —
Parke County, IN 52.2 Elevated +15.8
Owen County, IN 46.3 Normal +9.9
Clay County, IN 45.0 Normal +8.6
Montgomery County, IN 43.7 Normal +7.3
Morgan County, IN 43.2 Normal +6.8
Hendricks County, IN 29.1 Healthy -7.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Putnam County
Saline County, NE 36.4 Normal -0.0
Trempealeau County, WI 36.5 Normal +0.1
Sagadahoc County, ME 36.2 Normal -0.2
Sheridan County, WY 36.6 Normal +0.2
Blanco County, TX 36.1 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Putnam 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 Putnam 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 Putnam County, Indiana?

    Putnam County has a County Distress Index score of 36.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,569th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 69th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Putnam County?

    The primary driver of distress in Putnam County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 55.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Putnam County compare to neighboring counties?

    Putnam County (36.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Parke County, IN (52.2); Owen County, IN (46.3); Clay County, IN (45.0).

  • 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 Putnam County?

    Putnam County, Indiana has a population of approximately 37,567 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.