Hardin County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.6 | 30,368 people · 33rd most distressed in Ohio
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Hardin County, OH registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.6 — 1243rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Ohio, it ranks 33rd of 88 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hardin County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 64.5 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 64.5
Unemployment Rate 74
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 85
Debt & Delinquency 60.5
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 80
Student Loan Delinquency 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 55
Income & Poverty 60.3
Poverty Rate 60
Income vs. State Median 71
Child Poverty Rate 50
Community Vulnerability 51.4
Uninsured Rate 77
Disability Rate 26
Housing Cost Burden 36.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 27
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 26
Homeownership Rate 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Hardin County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hardin County
Hardin County, OH 54.6 Elevated —
Marion County, OH 61.6 Elevated +7.1
Allen County, OH 53.8 Elevated -0.8
Logan County, OH 41.6 Normal -13.0
Hancock County, OH 37.3 Normal -17.3
Auglaize County, OH 29.8 Healthy -24.7
Wyandot County, OH 29.2 Healthy -25.4
Union County, OH 21.2 Healthy -33.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hardin County
Miami County, IN 54.5 Elevated -0.0
Rio Arriba County, NM 54.5 Elevated -0.0
Simpson County, KY 54.6 Elevated +0.0
Lamar County, GA 54.6 Elevated +0.1
Dade County, GA 54.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hardin 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County, Ohio?

    Hardin County has a County Distress Index score of 54.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,243rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 33rd in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hardin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hardin County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 64.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Hardin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hardin County (54.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Marion County, OH (61.6); Allen County, OH (53.8); Logan County, OH (41.6).

  • 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 Hardin County?

    Hardin County, Ohio has a population of approximately 30,368 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.