Sullivan County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.4 | 20,757 people · 30th most distressed in Indiana
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Sullivan County, IN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.4 — 1377th 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 30th of 92 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sullivan County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 82.8 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 82.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Structural Poverty 62.1
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 77
Child Poverty Rate 56
Disability Rate 64
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Consumer Credit Distress 53.7
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 38
Subprime Credit Population 58
Economic Vitality 47.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 39
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 92
House Price Change (YoY) 1
Housing Cost Burden 40.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 48
Homeownership Rate 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sullivan County
Sullivan County, IN 53.4 Elevated —
Vigo County, IN 70.3 Serious +16.9
Knox County, IN 53.8 Elevated +0.4
Greene County, IN 52.0 Elevated -1.4
Clay County, IN 46.6 Normal -6.8
Clark County, IL 37.9 Normal -15.5
Crawford County, IL 30.6 Healthy -22.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sullivan County
Giles County, TN 53.4 Elevated 0.0
Jackson County, NC 53.4 Elevated +0.0
Manassas city, VA 53.5 Elevated +0.1
Smith County, MS 53.5 Elevated +0.1
Lincoln County, TN 53.3 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sullivan 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 Sullivan 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 Sullivan County, Indiana?

    Sullivan County has a County Distress Index score of 53.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,377th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sullivan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sullivan County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 82.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Sullivan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sullivan County (53.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Vigo County, IN (70.3); Knox County, IN (53.8); Greene County, IN (52.0).

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

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

    Sullivan 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 Sullivan County?

    Sullivan County, Indiana has a population of approximately 20,757 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.