Clay County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.6 | 26,460 people · 54th most distressed in Indiana
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Clay County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.6 — 1804th 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 54th of 92 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clay County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 80.6 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 80.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 81
Economic Vitality 65.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 73
Structural Poverty 53.2
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 42
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 40
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Consumer Credit Distress 48.0
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Uninsured Rate 26
Subprime Credit Population 62
Housing Cost Burden 20.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 21
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 17
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Clay County, IN 46.6 Normal —
Vigo County, IN 70.3 Serious +23.7
Sullivan County, IN 53.4 Elevated +6.8
Greene County, IN 52.0 Elevated +5.3
Parke County, IN 46.4 Normal -0.2
Owen County, IN 45.5 Normal -1.1
Putnam County, IN 44.5 Normal -2.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Stokes County, NC 46.6 Normal -0.0
Pike County, MO 46.6 Normal -0.0
Ray County, MO 46.6 Normal +0.0
Alexander County, NC 46.7 Normal +0.1
Pike County, IL 46.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County, Indiana?

    Clay County has a County Distress Index score of 46.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,804th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clay County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 80.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Clay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clay County (46.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Vigo County, IN (70.3); Sullivan County, IN (53.4); Greene County, IN (52.0).

  • 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). Clay County's score of 46.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Clay 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 Clay County?

    Clay County, Indiana has a population of approximately 26,460 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.