Defiance County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.5 | 38,315 people · 73rd most distressed in Ohio
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Defiance County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.5 — 2512th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Ohio, it ranks 73rd of 88 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Defiance County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 54.8 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 54.8
Unemployment Rate 55
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 24
Business Formation Rate 85
Community Vulnerability 44.2
Uninsured Rate 56
Disability Rate 32
Debt & Delinquency 43.8
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 49
Student Loan Delinquency 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Housing Cost Burden 23.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 28
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 50
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 7
Homeownership Rate 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Income & Poverty 21.1
Poverty Rate 12
Income vs. State Median 27
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 Defiance County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Defiance County
Defiance County, OH 37.5 Normal —
Williams County, OH 49.2 Normal +11.7
Allen County, IN 43.8 Normal +6.3
Paulding County, OH 43.5 Normal +6.0
DeKalb County, IN 33.1 Healthy -4.4
Henry County, OH 31.5 Healthy -6.0
Putnam County, OH 22.5 Healthy -15.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Defiance County
Ripley County, IN 37.5 Normal +0.0
Marshall County, IL 37.6 Normal +0.1
Orange County, VT 37.6 Normal +0.1
North Slope Borough, AK 37.6 Normal +0.1
Teller County, CO 37.3 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Defiance 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 Defiance 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 Defiance County, Ohio?

    Defiance County has a County Distress Index score of 37.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,512th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 73rd in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Defiance County?

    The primary driver of distress in Defiance County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 54.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Defiance County compare to neighboring counties?

    Defiance County (37.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Williams County, OH (49.2); Allen County, IN (43.8); Paulding County, OH (43.5).

  • 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 Defiance County?

    Defiance County, Ohio has a population of approximately 38,315 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.