In Franklin County, Ohio, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in four dollars of the typical household's income
In Franklin County, 25.1% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is higher than in 83% of U.S. counties.
More distressed than 60% of U.S. counties.
What drives Franklin County's score
In Franklin County, housing costs weigh most: the score for housing costs is 77.7. Collections and bankruptcy comes next, at 73.0.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Franklin County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Franklin County does better than most counties on two measures: people with a disability (11.9%, 2020 to 2024) and median household income ($76,578, 2024).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 77.7 of 100
Housing costs
Biggest factorRenters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent21.8% · 2020 to 202471st percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income25.1% · fiscal year 202783rd percentile
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- 73.0 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector27.3% · August 202565th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people223.9 · 202580th percentile
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- 63.4 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind6.2% · August 202562nd percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind7.5% · August 202578th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score39.9% · second quarter of 202649th percentile
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- 41.6 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line13.9% · 202455th percentile
- Children below the poverty line17.8% · 202453rd percentile
- People with a disability11.9% · 2020 to 202414th percentile
- People without health insurance8.8% · 2020 to 202457th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$76,578 · 202426th percentile
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- 29.0 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year3.5% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202630th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working17.0% · 2020 to 202427th percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Franklin County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Franklin County, 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Franklin County
Ohio
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
Benefit checks' share of income in Franklin County made its largest gain on the way to its 2009 high, from 12.8% in 2004 to 17.2% in 2009.
In Franklin County, benefit checks' share of income has more than doubled since 1969, reaching 16.5% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in about four times as much as benefit checks
In Franklin County, Ohio, benefit checks' share of income more than doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 16.5%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Franklin County getting SNAP food aid rose most sharply from its first year (9.9% in 2009) to 11.4% in 2010.
The share of households in Franklin County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2014 and has since fallen to 10.9%
Low on the chart: 9.9% in 2009. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Franklin County, Ohio.
How Franklin County has changed
Franklin County's population had its largest rise, from 1,155,408 in 2009 to 1,238,740 in 2014.
Franklin County's population nearly doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 1,356,303, with no dip in any year shown
Smallest rise: 1974 to 1979, reaching 877,367. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Franklin County, Ohio.
The jobs count covers work located in the county; the population count covers residents.
The number of jobs located in Franklin County rose 40% from 1990 to 2025, reaching its highest on the chart
Biggest rise: 1995 to 2000, reaching 701,935. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Franklin County, Ohio.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 3.4% | 2025 4.4% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 12.2% | 2024 13.9% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $30,736 | 2024 $76,578 |
The table uses 4.4% for 2025; the score uses 3.5% for the latest year (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026), both from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Franklin County's history
2003
Hail in April 2003 did $80 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2006
Hail in October 2006 did $100 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2006
A tornado in October 2006 did $50 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2020
The county's largest recorded population was the 2020 Census count of 1,323,807, which is also its most recent census. Census Bureau
2020
A flash flood in May 2020 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 1974
20 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Franklin County, 8 of them for flooding. FEMA
Franklin County beside its neighbors
Franklin County scores higher than all six counties that border it. For the share of income from benefit checks, Franklin County ranks 5th of the seven; Pickaway County is highest, at 22.5%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, OH | 60 | 13.9% | 16.5% |
| Pickaway County, OH | 48 | 9.3% | 22.5% |
| Licking County, OH | 39 | 9.2% | 19.9% |
| Madison County, OH | 32 | 8.8% | 19.7% |
| Fairfield County, OH | 31 | 8.1% | 18.8% |
| Union County, OH | 2 | 5.3% | 11.7% |
| Delaware County, OH | 1 | 4.3% | 9.3% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Franklin County the poorest county in Ohio?
No, Franklin County's poverty rate was 13.9% in 2024, 26th highest of 88 in Ohio (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Athens County, at 25.3%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Franklin County ranks 29th of 88 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Franklin County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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Apprisen - CCCS of Central Ohio, Inc.
HUD-approved housing counselor
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Columbus Housing Partnership, Inc, Dba Homeport
HUD-approved housing counselor
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Homes on the Hill
HUD-approved housing counselor
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Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO)
Legal aid
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Ohio Legal Help
Legal help website
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Download the CSV for Franklin County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Franklin County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.