Wayne County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.2 | 116,510 people · 72nd most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Wayne County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.2 — 2466th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where health coverage gaps and disability rates are moderately elevated. Within Ohio, it ranks 72nd of 88 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Wayne County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 53.6 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 53.6
Uninsured Rate 85
Disability Rate 22
Employment & Wages 42.5
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 18
Business Formation Rate 68
Debt & Delinquency 38.0
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 54
Student Loan Delinquency 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 21
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Housing Cost Burden 35.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 28
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Income & Poverty 21.6
Poverty Rate 14
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Wayne County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Wayne County
Wayne County, OH 38.2 Normal —
Summit County, OH 49.0 Normal +10.8
Ashland County, OH 47.5 Normal +9.3
Stark County, OH 46.4 Normal +8.2
Holmes County, OH 27.1 Healthy -11.1
Medina County, OH 26.9 Healthy -11.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Wayne County
Moore County, NC 38.2 Normal +0.0
Stearns County, MN 38.2 Normal +0.0
Scott County, IA 38.1 Normal -0.0
Ontario County, NY 38.3 Normal +0.1
Franklin County, MO 38.3 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wayne 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 Wayne 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Wayne County, Ohio?

    Wayne County has a County Distress Index score of 38.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,466th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 72nd in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wayne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wayne County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 53.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Wayne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wayne County (38.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Summit County, OH (49.0); Ashland County, OH (47.5); 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 Wayne County?

    Wayne County, Ohio has a population of approximately 116,510 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.