Allen County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.7 | 394,545 people · 28th most distressed in Indiana
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Allen County, IN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.7 — 1356th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Indiana, it ranks 28th of 92 counties. It scores higher than all 9 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Allen County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 87.2 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 87.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 87
Housing Cost Burden 68.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 74
Consumer Credit Distress 52.2
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 46
Uninsured Rate 51
Subprime Credit Population 54
Structural Poverty 33.5
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 48
Disability Rate 19
Transfer Income Dependency 21
Economic Vitality 29.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41
Business Formation Rate 15
House Price Change (YoY) 51

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Allen County
Allen County, IN 53.7 Elevated —
Noble County, IN 47.3 Normal -6.4
Van Wert County, OH 44.1 Normal -9.6
Paulding County, OH 43.6 Normal -10.1
Huntington County, IN 41.7 Normal -12.0
Wells County, IN 39.8 Normal -14.0
Defiance County, OH 39.6 Normal -14.1
DeKalb County, IN 38.4 Normal -15.3
Adams County, IN 34.8 Healthy -18.9
Whitley County, IN 32.3 Healthy -21.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Allen County
Washington County, AR 53.8 Elevated +0.1
Greenville County, SC 53.9 Elevated +0.2
District of Columbia, DC 53.5 Elevated -0.3
Macomb County, MI 54.1 Elevated +0.3
Durham County, NC 54.3 Elevated +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Allen County

Find an Attorney

Indiana State Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Indiana State Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 317-639-5465

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Allen County residents at no cost.

Indiana Legal Services (ILS) 317-631-9410 (Indianapolis); 1-888-529-4917 (statewide hotline)
Legal Aid Society of Tippecanoe County 765-742-1050
Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic 317-429-4131

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 Indiana →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Allen County, Indiana?

    Allen County has a County Distress Index score of 53.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,356th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Allen County?

    The primary driver of distress in Allen County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 87.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Allen County compare to neighboring counties?

    Allen County (53.7) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Noble County, IN (47.3); Van Wert County, OH (44.1); Paulding County, OH (43.6).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Allen County's score of 53.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Allen County's CDI score?

    Allen County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Allen County?

    Allen County, Indiana has a population of approximately 394,545 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.