Morgan County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.4 | 73,227 people · 29th most distressed in Indiana
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Morgan County, IN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.4 — 1376th 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 29th of 92 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Morgan County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.5 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Economic Vitality 73.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Housing Cost Burden 58.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 48
Homeownership Rate 8
Consumer Credit Distress 49.1
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Uninsured Rate 19
Subprime Credit Population 53
Structural Poverty 26.1
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 18
Disability Rate 47
Transfer Income Dependency 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Morgan County
Morgan County, IN 53.4 Elevated —
Marion County, IN 73.0 Serious +19.6
Brown County, IN 49.1 Normal -4.3
Monroe County, IN 48.2 Normal -5.2
Johnson County, IN 46.7 Normal -6.7
Owen County, IN 45.5 Normal -7.9
Putnam County, IN 44.5 Normal -8.9
Hendricks County, IN 44.5 Normal -9.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Morgan County
Davidson County, NC 53.5 Elevated +0.1
Umatilla County, OR 53.5 Elevated +0.1
Rockwall County, TX 53.3 Elevated -0.1
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated +0.1
Hall County, NE 53.3 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan County, Indiana?

    Morgan County has a County Distress Index score of 53.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,376th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Morgan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Morgan County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Morgan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Morgan County (53.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Marion County, IN (73.0); Brown County, IN (49.1); Monroe County, IN (48.2).

  • 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). Morgan County's score of 53.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Morgan 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 Morgan County?

    Morgan County, Indiana has a population of approximately 73,227 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.