Lawrence County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.0 | 56,118 people · 14th most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

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Lawrence County, OH registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.0 — 623rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Ohio, it ranks 14th of 88 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lawrence County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 77.5 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 77.5
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 61
Student Loan Delinquency 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Income & Poverty 72.4
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 65
Employment & Wages 67.5
Unemployment Rate 69
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 86
Community Vulnerability 54.8
Uninsured Rate 19
Disability Rate 91
Housing Cost Burden 42.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 25
Homeownership Rate 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 45

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lawrence County
Lawrence County, OH 63.0 Elevated —
Scioto County, OH 68.5 Serious +5.5
Jackson County, OH 68.5 Serious +5.5
Gallia County, OH 64.0 Elevated +1.0
Cabell County, WV 63.5 Elevated +0.5
Boyd County, KY 59.1 Elevated -3.9
Wayne County, WV 58.8 Elevated -4.2
Greenup County, KY 55.7 Elevated -7.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lawrence County
Cochise County, AZ 63.0 Elevated -0.0
San Juan County, NM 63.1 Elevated +0.1
Bay County, FL 63.2 Elevated +0.2
Burke County, NC 62.7 Elevated -0.3
Hoke County, NC 63.3 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, Ohio?

    Lawrence County has a County Distress Index score of 63.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 623rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lawrence County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lawrence County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 77.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lawrence County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lawrence County (63.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Scioto County, OH (68.5); Jackson County, OH (68.5); Gallia County, OH (64.0).

  • 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 Lawrence County?

    Lawrence County, Ohio has a population of approximately 56,118 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.