Ottawa County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.2 | 39,803 people · 71st most distressed in Ohio
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Ottawa County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.2 — 2462nd 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 71st of 88 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Ottawa County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 71.7 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 71.7
Unemployment Rate 95
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 71
Debt & Delinquency 38.0
Debt in Collections 26
Medical Debt 51
Student Loan Delinquency 36
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 36
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48
Housing Cost Burden 34.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 14
Community Vulnerability 29.7
Uninsured Rate 11
Disability Rate 49
Income & Poverty 16.8
Poverty Rate 12
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Ottawa County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Ottawa County
Ottawa County, OH 38.2 Normal —
Lucas County, OH 58.5 Elevated +20.3
Erie County, OH 52.0 Elevated +13.7
Sandusky County, OH 46.9 Normal +8.7
Wood County, OH 35.5 Normal -2.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Ottawa County
Crawford County, IL 38.2 Normal -0.0
Lawrence County, SD 38.2 Normal -0.0
Carbon County, MT 38.3 Normal +0.1
Clinton County, IN 38.3 Normal +0.1
Barron County, WI 38.3 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ottawa 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 Ottawa 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 Ottawa County, Ohio?

    Ottawa County has a County Distress Index score of 38.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,462nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 71st in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ottawa County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ottawa County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 71.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Ottawa County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ottawa County (38.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Lucas County, OH (58.5); Erie County, OH (52.0); Sandusky County, OH (46.9).

  • 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 Ottawa County?

    Ottawa County, Ohio has a population of approximately 39,803 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.