St. Joseph County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.5 | 272,848 people · 26th most distressed in Indiana
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St. Joseph County, IN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.5 — 1476th 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 26th of 92 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. St. Joseph County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 71.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 71.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Debt & Delinquency 58.0
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 45
Student Loan Delinquency 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Income & Poverty 53.9
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 53
Employment & Wages 38.4
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 32
Community Vulnerability 36.0
Uninsured Rate 43
Disability Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County, IN 51.5 Elevated —
Starke County, IN 54.3 Elevated +2.7
LaPorte County, IN 52.6 Elevated +1.1
Elkhart County, IN 50.1 Elevated -1.5
Berrien County, MI 50.1 Elevated -1.5
Cass County, MI 46.6 Normal -4.9
Marshall County, IN 36.8 Normal -14.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. St. Joseph County
Hamilton County, TN 51.7 Elevated +0.2
Washoe County, NV 51.2 Elevated -0.3
Buncombe County, NC 51.1 Elevated -0.4
Canyon County, ID 51.1 Elevated -0.4
Seminole County, FL 51.1 Elevated -0.5

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Joseph County as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Joseph County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near St. Joseph County.

CITY OF SOUTH BEND
South Bend
574-235-7495 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPost-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 St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph County, Indiana?

    St. Joseph County has a County Distress Index score of 51.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,476th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Joseph County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Joseph County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 71.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does St. Joseph County compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Joseph County (51.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Starke County, IN (54.3); LaPorte County, IN (52.6); Elkhart County, IN (50.1).

  • 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 St. Joseph County?

    St. Joseph County, Indiana has a population of approximately 272,848 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.