Darke County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.6 | 51,415 people · 70th most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

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Darke County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.6 — 2442nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Ohio, it ranks 70th of 88 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Darke County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 58.7 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 58.7
Unemployment Rate 52
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Business Formation Rate 92
Debt & Delinquency 45.2
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 70
Student Loan Delinquency 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Community Vulnerability 33.0
Uninsured Rate 35
Disability Rate 31
Housing Cost Burden 30.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 24
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 14
Income & Poverty 25.1
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Darke County
Darke County, OH 38.6 Normal —
Wayne County, IN 63.9 Elevated +25.3
Montgomery County, OH 59.9 Elevated +21.3
Jay County, IN 54.1 Elevated +15.5
Randolph County, IN 52.2 Elevated +13.6
Miami County, OH 42.6 Normal +4.0
Preble County, OH 40.2 Normal +1.6
Shelby County, OH 39.0 Normal +0.4
Mercer County, OH 21.8 Healthy -16.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Darke County
Jessamine County, KY 38.6 Normal +0.0
Barry County, MI 38.6 Normal +0.0
Fayette County, GA 38.7 Normal +0.1
Adams County, PA 38.7 Normal +0.2
Rockwall County, TX 38.7 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Darke County

Find an Attorney

Ohio State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Ohio State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-282-6556

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Darke County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Cleveland 216-687-1900
Columbus Legal Aid Society 614-224-8374
Community Legal Aid (Akron/Canton) 330-535-4191
Ohio Legal Help
Ohio State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 1-800-282-6556
Community Legal Aid Services, Inc. (800) 998-9454
Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati (513) 241-9400
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (614) 221-7201
Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. (888) 534-1432
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland (216) 687-1900

Self-Help Resources

Ohio Legal Help — Foreclosure Self-help guides for Ohio foreclosure process and defenses
OHFA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

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 Darke County, Ohio?

    Darke County has a County Distress Index score of 38.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,442nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 70th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Darke County?

    The primary driver of distress in Darke County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 58.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Darke County compare to neighboring counties?

    Darke County (38.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Wayne County, IN (63.9); Montgomery County, OH (59.9); 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 Darke County?

    Darke County, Ohio has a population of approximately 51,415 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.