Ross County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.9 | 76,501 people · 7th most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Ross County, OH shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.9 — 445th 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 7th of 88 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Ross County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 79.6 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 79.6
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 73
Student Loan Delinquency 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 87
Income & Poverty 69.1
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 64
Child Poverty Rate 73
Employment & Wages 65.4
Unemployment Rate 88
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 89
Housing Cost Burden 62.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Community Vulnerability 53.1
Uninsured Rate 32
Disability Rate 74

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Ross County
Ross County, OH 65.9 Serious —
Jackson County, OH 68.5 Serious +2.6
Pike County, OH 67.6 Serious +1.7
Vinton County, OH 63.4 Elevated -2.5
Hocking County, OH 60.8 Elevated -5.1
Highland County, OH 57.9 Elevated -8.0
Fayette County, OH 57.5 Elevated -8.4
Pickaway County, OH 50.5 Elevated -15.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Ross County
Newport News city, VA 65.8 Serious -0.1
Lincoln County, OR 65.8 Serious -0.1
Acadia Parish, LA 66.1 Serious +0.2
Calhoun County, AL 65.8 Serious -0.2
Hernando County, FL 66.2 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ross 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 Ross 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Ross County, Ohio?

    Ross County has a County Distress Index score of 65.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 445th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ross County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ross County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 79.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Ross County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ross County (65.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jackson County, OH (68.5); Pike County, OH (67.6); Vinton County, OH (63.4).

  • 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 Ross County?

    Ross County, Ohio has a population of approximately 76,501 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.