Scott County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.7 | 24,657 people · 10th most distressed in Indiana
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Scott County, IN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.7 — 788th 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 10th of 92 counties. It scores higher 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. Scott County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.5 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 71.6
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 74
Structural Poverty 64.6
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 71
Economic Vitality 50.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 32
Business Formation Rate 48
House Price Change (YoY) 64
Housing Cost Burden 36.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 61

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Scott County, IN 62.7 Elevated —
Jennings County, IN 59.2 Elevated -3.5
Clark County, IN 59.1 Elevated -3.6
Washington County, IN 59.0 Elevated -3.7
Jefferson County, IN 52.1 Elevated -10.6
Jackson County, IN 51.1 Elevated -11.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Breathitt County, KY 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Pontotoc County, MS 62.7 Elevated +0.0
Boyle County, KY 62.7 Elevated +0.0
Fayette County, WV 62.8 Elevated +0.0
Osage County, OK 62.7 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Scott 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 Scott 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 Scott County, Indiana?

    Scott County has a County Distress Index score of 62.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 788th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scott County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scott County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Scott County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scott County (62.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jennings County, IN (59.2); Clark County, IN (59.1); 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). Scott County's score of 62.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Scott 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 Scott County?

    Scott County, Indiana has a population of approximately 24,657 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.