Shelby County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.1 | 45,231 people · 38th most distressed in Indiana
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Shelby County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.1 — 1817th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Indiana, it ranks 38th of 92 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Shelby County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 72.1 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 72.1
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 85
Student Loan Delinquency 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 65
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Housing Cost Burden 51.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 34
Homeownership Rate 53
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Employment & Wages 44.4
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 42
Community Vulnerability 38.1
Uninsured Rate 31
Disability Rate 45
Income & Poverty 29.1
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Shelby County
Shelby County, IN 47.1 Normal —
Marion County, IN 57.3 Elevated +10.2
Rush County, IN 43.2 Normal -3.9
Bartholomew County, IN 37.0 Normal -10.1
Decatur County, IN 33.4 Healthy -13.7
Johnson County, IN 32.7 Healthy -14.4
Hancock County, IN 28.8 Healthy -18.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Shelby County
Richland County, IL 47.1 Normal -0.0
Amelia County, VA 47.1 Normal +0.0
Grant County, WV 47.2 Normal +0.1
Logan County, IL 47.0 Normal -0.1
Osage County, KS 47.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Shelby 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 Shelby 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 Shelby County, Indiana?

    Shelby County has a County Distress Index score of 47.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,817th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Shelby County?

    The primary driver of distress in Shelby County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 72.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Shelby County compare to neighboring counties?

    Shelby County (47.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Marion County, IN (57.3); Rush County, IN (43.2); Bartholomew County, IN (37.0).

  • 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 Shelby County?

    Shelby County, Indiana has a population of approximately 45,231 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.