Fairfield County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.9 | 165,360 people · 65th most distressed in Ohio
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Fairfield County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.9 — 2221st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Ohio, it ranks 65th of 88 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Fairfield County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 60.1 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 60.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 42
Employment & Wages 56.0
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 36
Debt & Delinquency 49.9
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 53
Student Loan Delinquency 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Community Vulnerability 31.7
Uninsured Rate 32
Disability Rate 31
Income & Poverty 11.7
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Fairfield County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Fairfield County
Fairfield County, OH 41.9 Normal —
Hocking County, OH 60.8 Elevated +18.9
Perry County, OH 57.3 Elevated +15.4
Franklin County, OH 51.8 Elevated +9.9
Pickaway County, OH 50.5 Elevated +8.6
Licking County, OH 43.5 Normal +1.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Fairfield County
Effingham County, GA 41.9 Normal +0.0
Clermont County, OH 41.9 Normal +0.1
Leavenworth County, KS 41.8 Normal -0.1
Waupaca County, WI 42.0 Normal +0.1
Newport County, RI 42.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield County, Ohio?

    Fairfield County has a County Distress Index score of 41.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,221st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 65th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fairfield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fairfield County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 60.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Fairfield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fairfield County (41.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Hocking County, OH (60.8); Perry County, OH (57.3); Franklin County, OH (51.8).

  • 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 Fairfield County?

    Fairfield County, Ohio has a population of approximately 165,360 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.