Stark County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.4 | 372,716 people · 54th most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

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Stark County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.4 — 1867th 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 54th of 88 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Stark County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 59.0 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 59.0
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 60
Student Loan Delinquency 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Housing Cost Burden 56.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 48
Homeownership Rate 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 44
Income & Poverty 46.9
Poverty Rate 40
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 44
Employment & Wages 40.5
Unemployment Rate 69
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Business Formation Rate 13
Community Vulnerability 29.5
Uninsured Rate 26
Disability Rate 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Stark County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Stark County
Stark County, OH 46.4 Normal —
Mahoning County, OH 62.1 Elevated +15.8
Columbiana County, OH 60.3 Elevated +13.9
Tuscarawas County, OH 53.3 Elevated +6.9
Carroll County, OH 51.1 Elevated +4.7
Summit County, OH 49.0 Normal +2.6
Portage County, OH 48.3 Normal +1.9
Wayne County, OH 38.2 Normal -8.2
Holmes County, OH 27.1 Healthy -19.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Stark County
Essex County, MA 46.4 Normal -0.0
Knox County, TN 46.5 Normal +0.1
Sussex County, DE 46.3 Normal -0.1
Charleston County, SC 46.5 Normal +0.1
Montgomery County, TX 46.1 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Stark County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Stark County.

APPRISEN - CANTON
CANTON
800-355-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseRental Help
COMMUNITY BUILDING PARTNERSHIP OF STARK COUNTY, INC.
Canton
330-458-0962 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 Stark 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 Stark County, Ohio?

    Stark County has a County Distress Index score of 46.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,867th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stark County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stark County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 59.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Stark County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stark County (46.4) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Mahoning County, OH (62.1); Columbiana County, OH (60.3); Tuscarawas County, OH (53.3).

  • 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 Stark County?

    Stark County, Ohio has a population of approximately 372,716 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.