Wells County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.5 | 28,555 people · 71st most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

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Wells County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.5 — 2624th 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 71st 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. Wells County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 54.7 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 54.7
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 55
Student Loan Delinquency 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Employment & Wages 40.8
Unemployment Rate 2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 82
Housing Cost Burden 34.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 12
Community Vulnerability 27.0
Uninsured Rate 36
Disability Rate 18
Income & Poverty 20.9
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 39
Child Poverty Rate 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Wells County
Wells County, IN 35.5 Normal —
Grant County, IN 63.3 Elevated +27.8
Blackford County, IN 59.3 Elevated +23.8
Jay County, IN 54.1 Elevated +18.6
Allen County, IN 43.8 Normal +8.2
Adams County, IN 42.5 Normal +6.9
Huntington County, IN 38.5 Normal +2.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Wells County
Harris County, GA 35.5 Normal +0.0
Converse County, WY 35.5 Normal -0.1
Henry County, IL 35.4 Normal -0.1
Lincoln County, WI 35.4 Normal -0.1
Moultrie County, IL 35.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wells 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 Wells 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 Wells County, Indiana?

    Wells County has a County Distress Index score of 35.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,624th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 71st in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wells County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wells County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 54.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Wells County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wells County (35.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Grant County, IN (63.3); Blackford County, IN (59.3); Jay County, IN (54.1).

  • 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 Wells County?

    Wells County, Indiana has a population of approximately 28,555 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.