Highland County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.9 | 43,614 people · 25th most distressed in Ohio
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Highland County, OH registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.9 — 998th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Ohio, it ranks 25th 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. Highland County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 74.8 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 74.8
Unemployment Rate 83
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 59
Business Formation Rate 82
Community Vulnerability 62.8
Uninsured Rate 57
Disability Rate 68
Debt & Delinquency 59.6
Debt in Collections 72
Medical Debt 75
Student Loan Delinquency 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Income & Poverty 51.0
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 64
Child Poverty Rate 51
Housing Cost Burden 41.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Highland County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Highland County
Highland County, OH 57.9 Elevated —
Adams County, OH 68.9 Serious +11.0
Pike County, OH 67.6 Serious +9.7
Ross County, OH 65.9 Serious +8.0
Brown County, OH 57.9 Elevated -0.0
Fayette County, OH 57.5 Elevated -0.4
Clinton County, OH 46.0 Normal -12.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Highland County
Madison County, GA 57.9 Elevated -0.0
Stone County, MS 57.9 Elevated +0.0
Winchester city, VA 57.9 Elevated +0.0
Montezuma County, CO 57.9 Elevated -0.0
Brown County, OH 57.9 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Highland 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 Highland 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 Highland County, Ohio?

    Highland County has a County Distress Index score of 57.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 998th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Highland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Highland County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 74.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Highland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Highland County (57.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Adams County, OH (68.9); Pike County, OH (67.6); Ross County, OH (65.9).

  • 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 Highland County?

    Highland County, Ohio has a population of approximately 43,614 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.