Hamilton County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.3 | 827,058 people · 48th most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

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Hamilton County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.3 — 1723rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Ohio, it ranks 48th of 88 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hamilton County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.7 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Debt & Delinquency 66.3
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 54
Student Loan Delinquency 68
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 50
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Income & Poverty 44.0
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 45
Employment & Wages 26.3
Unemployment Rate 52
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 14
Business Formation Rate 13
Community Vulnerability 24.2
Uninsured Rate 27
Disability Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hamilton County
Hamilton County, OH 48.3 Normal —
Butler County, OH 43.9 Normal -4.4
Clermont County, OH 41.9 Normal -6.4
Campbell County, KY 37.6 Normal -10.7
Kenton County, KY 37.4 Normal -10.9
Dearborn County, IN 35.3 Normal -13.0
Boone County, KY 32.2 Healthy -16.1
Franklin County, IN 32.2 Healthy -16.1
Warren County, OH 21.2 Healthy -27.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hamilton County
Multnomah County, OR 48.3 Normal -0.0
Ingham County, MI 48.2 Normal -0.1
Cleveland County, OK 48.1 Normal -0.2
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT 48.5 Normal +0.2
St. Tammany Parish, LA 48.5 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hamilton County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Hamilton County.

HOME OWNERSHIP CENTER OF GREATER CINCINNATI
Cincinnati
513-961-2800 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
WORKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS
Cincinnati
513-541-4109
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Ohio →

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 Hamilton 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Ohio →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Hamilton County, Ohio?

    Hamilton County has a County Distress Index score of 48.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,723rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hamilton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hamilton County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hamilton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hamilton County (48.3) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Butler County, OH (43.9); Clermont County, OH (41.9); Campbell County, KY (37.6).

  • 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 Hamilton County?

    Hamilton County, Ohio has a population of approximately 827,058 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.