Shelby County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.0 | 47,765 people · 68th most distressed in Ohio
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Shelby County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.0 — 2412th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Ohio, it ranks 68th of 88 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Shelby County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 56.6 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 56.6
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 89
Student Loan Delinquency 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39
Employment & Wages 45.4
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Business Formation Rate 83
Housing Cost Burden 35.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 21
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Income & Poverty 33.4
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 42
Child Poverty Rate 35
Community Vulnerability 24.1
Uninsured Rate 14
Disability Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Shelby County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Shelby County
Shelby County, OH 39.0 Normal —
Miami County, OH 42.6 Normal +3.6
Champaign County, OH 42.4 Normal +3.4
Logan County, OH 41.6 Normal +2.6
Darke County, OH 38.6 Normal -0.4
Auglaize County, OH 29.8 Healthy -9.1
Mercer County, OH 21.8 Healthy -17.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Shelby County
Dawson County, NE 39.0 Normal +0.1
Carbon County, WY 39.0 Normal +0.1
Daviess County, IN 39.0 Normal +0.1
Fayette County, TX 39.0 Normal +0.1
Cooper County, MO 39.1 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Shelby 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 Shelby 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 Shelby County, Ohio?

    Shelby County has a County Distress Index score of 39.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,412th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 68th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Shelby County?

    The primary driver of distress in Shelby County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 56.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Shelby County compare to neighboring counties?

    Shelby County (39.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Miami County, OH (42.6); Champaign County, OH (42.4); Logan County, OH (41.6).

  • 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 Shelby County?

    Shelby County, Ohio has a population of approximately 47,765 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.