Union County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Healthy · 21.2 | 69,637 people · 87th most distressed in Ohio
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Union County, OH ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 21.2 — 3101st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where the job market is relatively stable with wages that keep pace with costs. Within Ohio, it ranks 87th of 88 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Union County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 32.5 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 32.5
Unemployment Rate 27
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 38
Debt & Delinquency 31.6
Debt in Collections 17
Medical Debt 51
Student Loan Delinquency 13
Auto Loan Delinquency 25
Credit Card Delinquency 24
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Housing Cost Burden 31.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 26
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 8
Community Vulnerability 9.0
Uninsured Rate 11
Disability Rate 7
Income & Poverty 1.5
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Union County
Union County, OH 21.2 Healthy —
Marion County, OH 61.6 Elevated +40.5
Hardin County, OH 54.6 Elevated +33.4
Franklin County, OH 51.8 Elevated +30.6
Madison County, OH 43.9 Normal +22.7
Champaign County, OH 42.4 Normal +21.2
Logan County, OH 41.6 Normal +20.4
Delaware County, OH 18.8 Healthy -2.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Union County
Boone County, IN 21.0 Healthy -0.1
Warrick County, IN 20.9 Healthy -0.3
Ozaukee County, WI 21.8 Healthy +0.6
Arlington County, VA 21.9 Healthy +0.7
Outagamie County, WI 22.0 Healthy +0.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Union 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 Union 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 Union County, Ohio?

    Union County has a County Distress Index score of 21.2 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,101st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 87th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Union County?

    The primary driver of distress in Union County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 32.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Union County compare to neighboring counties?

    Union County (21.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Marion County, OH (61.6); Hardin County, OH (54.6); Franklin County, OH (51.8).

  • 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 Union County?

    Union County, Ohio has a population of approximately 69,637 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.