Montgomery County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.9 | 533,796 people · 21st most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

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Montgomery County, OH registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.9 — 837th 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 21st 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. Montgomery County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.4 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 69
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 71
Homeownership Rate 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Debt & Delinquency 74.0
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 72
Student Loan Delinquency 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Income & Poverty 63.5
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 60
Child Poverty Rate 67
Employment & Wages 47.1
Unemployment Rate 67
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 25
Community Vulnerability 39.4
Uninsured Rate 35
Disability Rate 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, OH 59.9 Elevated —
Clark County, OH 63.4 Elevated +3.5
Butler County, OH 43.9 Normal -16.0
Miami County, OH 42.6 Normal -17.3
Preble County, OH 40.2 Normal -19.7
Darke County, OH 38.6 Normal -21.3
Greene County, OH 35.5 Normal -24.4
Warren County, OH 21.2 Healthy -38.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Montgomery County
Hudson County, NJ 60.2 Elevated +0.3
Bell County, TX 59.6 Elevated -0.3
Leon County, FL 59.5 Elevated -0.4
Stanislaus County, CA 59.5 Elevated -0.4
Lee County, FL 59.5 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Montgomery County.

HORIZON HOUSING COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT FOR OHIO (HHCDO)
Dayton
937-259-8870
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase
MIAMI VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP
Dayton
937-341-5000 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase
NID-HCA DAYTON
DAYTON
937-567-0990 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpHome Improvement/RehabHomeless/Displacement
NID-HCA TROTWOOD
Trotwood
937-589-0155 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, Ohio?

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 59.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 837th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (59.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Clark County, OH (63.4); Butler County, OH (43.9); Miami County, OH (42.6).

  • 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, Ohio has a population of approximately 533,796 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.