Summit County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.0 | 535,733 people · 47th most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

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Summit County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.0 — 1678th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Ohio, it ranks 47th of 88 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Summit County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 67.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 67.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 79
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Debt & Delinquency 59.6
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 45
Student Loan Delinquency 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Income & Poverty 46.0
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 60
Employment & Wages 45.2
Unemployment Rate 67
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 26
Community Vulnerability 26.9
Uninsured Rate 25
Disability Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Summit County
Summit County, OH 49.0 Normal —
Cuyahoga County, OH 53.7 Elevated +4.8
Portage County, OH 48.3 Normal -0.7
Stark County, OH 46.4 Normal -2.6
Wayne County, OH 38.2 Normal -10.8
Medina County, OH 26.9 Healthy -22.1
Geauga County, OH 25.3 Healthy -23.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Summit County
Suffolk County, MA 49.0 Normal +0.1
Santa Cruz County, CA 48.8 Normal -0.1
Hays County, TX 48.8 Normal -0.2
Davidson County, TN 48.8 Normal -0.2
San Luis Obispo County, CA 49.2 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Summit County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Summit County.

ASIAN AKRON OFFICE 2
Akron
330-535-3263 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab
ASIAN SERVICES IN ACTION, INC. (ASIA)
AKRON
330-535-3263 Website
Financial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase
EAST AKRON NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORP.
Akron
330-724-0244 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase
FAIR HOUSING CONTACT SERVICE
Akron
330-376-6191 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFair HousingPre-PurchaseRental Help
MUSTARD SEED DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Akron
330-631-0350 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Summit 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 Summit County, Ohio?

    Summit County has a County Distress Index score of 49.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,678th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Summit County?

    The primary driver of distress in Summit County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 67.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Summit County compare to neighboring counties?

    Summit County (49.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Cuyahoga County, OH (53.7); Portage County, OH (48.3); Stark County, OH (46.4).

  • 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 Summit County?

    Summit County, Ohio has a population of approximately 535,733 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.