Van Wert County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.7 | 28,704 people · 69th most distressed in Ohio
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Van Wert County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.7 — 2422nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Ohio, it ranks 69th of 88 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Van Wert County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 55.3 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 55.3
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 84
Debt & Delinquency 51.8
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 67
Student Loan Delinquency 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48
Income & Poverty 42.6
Poverty Rate 28
Income vs. State Median 68
Child Poverty Rate 32
Housing Cost Burden 25.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 9
Homeownership Rate 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Community Vulnerability 18.3
Uninsured Rate 4
Disability Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Van Wert County
Van Wert County, OH 38.7 Normal —
Allen County, OH 53.8 Elevated +15.0
Allen County, IN 43.8 Normal +5.0
Paulding County, OH 43.5 Normal +4.8
Adams County, IN 42.5 Normal +3.7
Auglaize County, OH 29.8 Healthy -8.9
Putnam County, OH 22.5 Healthy -16.2
Mercer County, OH 21.8 Healthy -17.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Van Wert County
Jackson County, IN 38.7 Normal 0.0
Giles County, VA 38.8 Normal +0.0
Lyon County, MN 38.7 Normal -0.0
Lee County, IL 38.8 Normal +0.1
Atchison County, KS 38.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Van Wert County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Van Wert 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 Van Wert 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 Van Wert County, Ohio?

    Van Wert County has a County Distress Index score of 38.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,422nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 69th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Van Wert County?

    The primary driver of distress in Van Wert County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 55.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Van Wert County compare to neighboring counties?

    Van Wert County (38.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Allen County, OH (53.8); Allen County, IN (43.8); Paulding County, OH (43.5).

  • 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 Van Wert County?

    Van Wert County, Ohio has a population of approximately 28,704 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.