Fulton County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.4 | 20,358 people · 25th most distressed in Indiana
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Fulton County, IN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.4 — 1317th 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 25th of 92 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Fulton County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 89.4 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 89.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Consumer Credit Distress 60.9
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 88
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 64
Subprime Credit Population 56
Structural Poverty 47.9
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 73
Child Poverty Rate 41
Disability Rate 46
Transfer Income Dependency 49
Economic Vitality 42.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 39
Rent-to-Income Ratio 30
Business Formation Rate 79
House Price Change (YoY) 32
Housing Cost Burden 37.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fulton County
Fulton County, IN 54.4 Elevated —
Miami County, IN 60.7 Elevated +6.3
Cass County, IN 58.0 Elevated +3.6
Starke County, IN 52.5 Elevated -1.9
Kosciusko County, IN 46.5 Normal -7.9
Wabash County, IN 44.5 Normal -9.9
Pulaski County, IN 43.3 Normal -11.1
Marshall County, IN 38.0 Normal -16.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fulton County
Rains County, TX 54.4 Elevated 0.0
Banks County, GA 54.4 Elevated +0.0
Osceola County, MI 54.4 Elevated +0.0
La Paz County, AZ 54.5 Elevated +0.0
Monroe County, KY 54.5 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fulton 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 Fulton 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 Fulton County, Indiana?

    Fulton County has a County Distress Index score of 54.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,317th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fulton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fulton County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 89.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Fulton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fulton County (54.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Miami County, IN (60.7); Cass County, IN (58.0); Starke County, IN (52.5).

  • 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). Fulton County's score of 54.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Fulton 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 Fulton County?

    Fulton County, Indiana has a population of approximately 20,358 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.