Johnson County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.7 | 167,819 people · 53rd most distressed in Indiana
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Johnson County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.7 — 1800th 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 53rd of 92 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Johnson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.2 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Housing Cost Burden 58.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 62
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 45
Homeownership Rate 53
Economic Vitality 58.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 36
Consumer Credit Distress 43.1
Debt in Collections 39
Medical Debt 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 41
Credit Card Delinquency 48
Uninsured Rate 15
Subprime Credit Population 48
Structural Poverty 8.1
Unemployment Rate 4
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 8
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Johnson County, IN 46.7 Normal —
Marion County, IN 73.0 Serious +26.4
Shelby County, IN 55.1 Elevated +8.4
Morgan County, IN 53.4 Elevated +6.7
Brown County, IN 49.1 Normal +2.4
Bartholomew County, IN 48.9 Normal +2.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Sandusky County, OH 46.7 Normal 0.0
Yellowstone County, MT 46.7 Normal -0.0
Brunswick County, NC 46.7 Normal +0.0
Shelby County, AL 46.6 Normal -0.1
Beaver County, PA 46.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County, Indiana?

    Johnson County has a County Distress Index score of 46.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,800th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Johnson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Johnson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Johnson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Johnson County (46.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Marion County, IN (73.0); Shelby County, IN (55.1); Morgan County, IN (53.4).

  • 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). Johnson County's score of 46.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Johnson 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 Johnson County?

    Johnson County, Indiana has a population of approximately 167,819 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.