Brown County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.1 | 15,653 people · 45th most distressed in Indiana
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Brown County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.1 — 1633rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Indiana, it ranks 45th of 92 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Brown County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.8 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 5
Economic Vitality 73.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 35
House Price Change (YoY) 20
Legal Distress 65.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Consumer Credit Distress 33.4
Debt in Collections 20
Medical Debt 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 11
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 29
Structural Poverty 32.4
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 25
Disability Rate 57
Transfer Income Dependency 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Brown County
Brown County, IN 49.1 Normal —
Morgan County, IN 53.4 Elevated +4.3
Jackson County, IN 51.1 Elevated +2.0
Bartholomew County, IN 48.9 Normal -0.3
Monroe County, IN 48.2 Normal -0.9
Johnson County, IN 46.7 Normal -2.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Brown County
Piscataquis County, ME 49.1 Normal 0.0
Franklin County, TX 49.1 Normal -0.0
Decatur County, TN 49.1 Normal +0.0
Rabun County, GA 49.1 Normal -0.0
Otsego County, MI 49.2 Normal +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brown 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 Brown 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Brown County has a County Distress Index score of 49.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,633rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brown County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brown County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Brown County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brown County (49.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Morgan County, IN (53.4); Jackson County, IN (51.1); Bartholomew County, IN (48.9).

  • 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 Normal 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). Brown County's score of 49.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Brown 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 Brown County?

    Brown County, Indiana has a population of approximately 15,653 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.