Madison County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.9 | 44,602 people · 57th most distressed in Ohio
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Madison County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.9 — 2086th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Ohio, it ranks 57th 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. Madison County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 63.1 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 63.1
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 60
Debt & Delinquency 55.9
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 52
Student Loan Delinquency 46
Auto Loan Delinquency 61
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Community Vulnerability 42.6
Uninsured Rate 45
Disability Rate 40
Housing Cost Burden 42.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 38
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 42
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Income & Poverty 15.3
Poverty Rate 15
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Madison County
Madison County, OH 43.9 Normal —
Clark County, OH 63.4 Elevated +19.5
Fayette County, OH 57.5 Elevated +13.6
Franklin County, OH 51.8 Elevated +7.9
Pickaway County, OH 50.5 Elevated +6.6
Champaign County, OH 42.4 Normal -1.5
Greene County, OH 35.5 Normal -8.4
Union County, OH 21.2 Healthy -22.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Madison County
Nodaway County, MO 43.9 Normal +0.0
Washburn County, WI 43.9 Normal +0.0
Archuleta County, CO 44.0 Normal +0.1
Webster County, IA 43.8 Normal -0.1
Webster County, MO 43.8 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County, Ohio?

    Madison County has a County Distress Index score of 43.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,086th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 57th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Madison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Madison County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 63.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Madison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Madison County (43.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Clark County, OH (63.4); Fayette County, OH (57.5); Franklin County, OH (51.8).

  • 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 Madison County?

    Madison County, Ohio has a population of approximately 44,602 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.