Porter County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.3 | 175,335 people · 51st most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Porter County, IN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.3 — 1759th 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 51st of 92 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Porter County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 94.3 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 94.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Housing Cost Burden 68.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 34
Economic Vitality 54.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 51
Consumer Credit Distress 37.8
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Uninsured Rate 15
Subprime Credit Population 45
Structural Poverty 15.8
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 15
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 13
Disability Rate 13
Transfer Income Dependency 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Porter County
Porter County, IN 47.3 Normal —
Lake County, IN 67.2 Serious +19.9
LaPorte County, IN 58.4 Elevated +11.1
Cook County, IL 57.7 Elevated +10.4
Starke County, IN 52.5 Elevated +5.3
Berrien County, MI 50.9 Elevated +3.6
Jasper County, IN 39.3 Normal -8.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Porter County
Floyd County, IN 47.3 Normal -0.0
Cape May County, NJ 47.3 Normal -0.0
Comal County, TX 47.4 Normal +0.1
Clermont County, OH 47.2 Normal -0.1
San Benito County, CA 47.2 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Porter 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 Porter 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Indiana →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Porter County, Indiana?

    Porter County has a County Distress Index score of 47.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,759th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 51st in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Porter County?

    The primary driver of distress in Porter County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 94.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Porter County compare to neighboring counties?

    Porter County (47.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Lake County, IN (67.2); LaPorte County, IN (58.4); Cook County, IL (57.7).

  • 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). Porter County's score of 47.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Porter 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 Porter County?

    Porter County, Indiana has a population of approximately 175,335 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.