Jackson County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.1 | 46,460 people · 42nd most distressed in Indiana
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Jackson County, IN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.1 — 1517th 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 42nd of 92 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jackson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 88.9 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 88.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Consumer Credit Distress 67.8
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 60
Housing Cost Burden 28.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 36
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 55
Structural Poverty 27.9
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 39
Child Poverty Rate 24
Disability Rate 38
Transfer Income Dependency 29
Economic Vitality 22.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 21
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, IN 51.1 Elevated —
Scott County, IN 62.7 Elevated +11.6
Jennings County, IN 59.2 Elevated +8.1
Washington County, IN 59.0 Elevated +7.9
Brown County, IN 49.1 Normal -2.0
Lawrence County, IN 49.0 Normal -2.1
Bartholomew County, IN 48.9 Normal -2.3
Monroe County, IN 48.2 Normal -2.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Appanoose County, IA 51.1 Elevated +0.0
Fayette County, TN 51.1 Elevated +0.0
Washington County, ME 51.1 Elevated +0.0
Cherokee County, KS 51.0 Elevated -0.1
Montgomery County, NC 51.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County, Indiana?

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 51.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,517th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 88.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (51.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Scott County, IN (62.7); Jennings County, IN (59.2); Washington County, IN (59.0).

  • 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 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). Jackson County's score of 51.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, Indiana has a population of approximately 46,460 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.