Williams County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.2 | 36,591 people · 46th most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

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

Williams County, OH falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.2 — 1657th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Ohio, it ranks 46th 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. Williams County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 64.5 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 64.5
Unemployment Rate 74
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Business Formation Rate 91
Housing Cost Burden 50.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 55
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 44
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Debt & Delinquency 47.6
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 42
Student Loan Delinquency 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 50
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Community Vulnerability 41.8
Uninsured Rate 21
Disability Rate 62
Income & Poverty 41.7
Poverty Rate 30
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Williams County
Williams County, OH 49.2 Normal —
Hillsdale County, MI 52.5 Elevated +3.3
Defiance County, OH 37.5 Normal -11.7
Fulton County, OH 36.6 Normal -12.6
Steuben County, IN 35.7 Normal -13.5
DeKalb County, IN 33.1 Healthy -16.1
Henry County, OH 31.5 Healthy -17.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Williams County
Cleburne County, AL 49.3 Normal +0.0
Sumner County, KS 49.2 Normal -0.0
Carroll County, KY 49.3 Normal +0.0
Wetzel County, WV 49.3 Normal +0.0
Venango County, PA 49.3 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams County, Ohio?

    Williams County has a County Distress Index score of 49.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,657th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Williams County?

    The primary driver of distress in Williams County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 64.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Williams County compare to neighboring counties?

    Williams County (49.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hillsdale County, MI (52.5); Defiance County, OH (37.5); Fulton County, OH (36.6).

  • 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 Williams County?

    Williams County, Ohio has a population of approximately 36,591 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.