Owen County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.5 | 21,532 people · 58th most distressed in Indiana
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Owen County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.5 — 1871st 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 58th of 92 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Owen County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 77.8 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 77.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Structural Poverty 56.2
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 50
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Consumer Credit Distress 49.9
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 51
Housing Cost Burden 28.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 21
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 16
Economic Vitality 21.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Business Formation Rate 50
House Price Change (YoY) 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Owen County
Owen County, IN 45.5 Normal —
Morgan County, IN 53.4 Elevated +7.9
Greene County, IN 52.0 Elevated +6.5
Monroe County, IN 48.2 Normal +2.7
Clay County, IN 46.6 Normal +1.1
Putnam County, IN 44.5 Normal -1.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Owen County
Jefferson County, PA 45.5 Normal -0.0
Transylvania County, NC 45.5 Normal +0.0
Osage County, KS 45.4 Normal -0.1
Beltrami County, MN 45.4 Normal -0.1
Appomattox County, VA 45.4 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Owen 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 Owen 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 Owen County, Indiana?

    Owen County has a County Distress Index score of 45.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,871st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Owen County?

    The primary driver of distress in Owen County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 77.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Owen County compare to neighboring counties?

    Owen County (45.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Morgan County, IN (53.4); Greene County, IN (52.0); 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 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). Owen County's score of 45.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Owen 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 Owen County?

    Owen County, Indiana has a population of approximately 21,532 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.