Washington County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.2 | 28,205 people · 12th most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

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Washington County, IN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.2 — 1067th 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 12th of 92 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Washington County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 74.4 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 74.4
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 71
Student Loan Delinquency 96
Auto Loan Delinquency 56
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Income & Poverty 61.1
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 51
Employment & Wages 52.7
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 85
Community Vulnerability 51.9
Uninsured Rate 52
Disability Rate 51
Housing Cost Burden 46.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 59
Homeownership Rate 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Washington County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Washington County, IN 57.2 Elevated —
Crawford County, IN 57.7 Elevated +0.5
Scott County, IN 55.8 Elevated -1.4
Orange County, IN 48.0 Normal -9.2
Lawrence County, IN 44.5 Normal -12.7
Clark County, IN 43.9 Normal -13.3
Jackson County, IN 38.7 Normal -18.5
Floyd County, IN 38.3 Normal -18.9
Harrison County, IN 34.5 Healthy -22.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Lincoln County, NM 57.2 Elevated -0.0
Braxton County, WV 57.2 Elevated -0.0
Walthall County, MS 57.2 Elevated +0.0
Bath County, KY 57.2 Elevated +0.0
Hickman County, TN 57.2 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County, Indiana?

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 57.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,067th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 74.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Washington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Washington County (57.2) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Crawford County, IN (57.7); Scott County, IN (55.8); Orange County, IN (48.0).

  • 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 Washington County?

    Washington County, Indiana has a population of approximately 28,205 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.