Paulding County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.5 | 18,706 people · 59th most distressed in Ohio
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Paulding County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.5 — 2116th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Ohio, it ranks 59th of 88 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Paulding County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 58.6 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 58.6
Unemployment Rate 52
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 89
Debt & Delinquency 52.2
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 52
Student Loan Delinquency 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 53
Community Vulnerability 41.6
Uninsured Rate 25
Disability Rate 59
Housing Cost Burden 34.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 25
Homeownership Rate 18
Rent-to-Income Ratio 14
Income & Poverty 30.6
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Paulding County
Paulding County, OH 43.5 Normal —
Allen County, IN 43.8 Normal +0.2
Van Wert County, OH 38.7 Normal -4.8
Defiance County, OH 37.5 Normal -6.0
Putnam County, OH 22.5 Healthy -21.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Paulding County
Susquehanna County, PA 43.5 Normal -0.0
Caledonia County, VT 43.5 Normal -0.0
Monroe County, WI 43.6 Normal +0.0
Fayette County, IA 43.5 Normal -0.1
Albany County, WY 43.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Paulding 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 Paulding 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 Paulding County, Ohio?

    Paulding County has a County Distress Index score of 43.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,116th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 59th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Paulding County?

    The primary driver of distress in Paulding County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 58.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Paulding County compare to neighboring counties?

    Paulding County (43.5) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Allen County, IN (43.8); Van Wert County, OH (38.7); Defiance County, OH (37.5).

  • 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 Paulding County?

    Paulding County, Ohio has a population of approximately 18,706 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.