Vigo County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.3 | 106,153 people · 2nd most distressed in Indiana
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Vigo County, IN shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.3 — 378th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Indiana, it ranks 2nd of 92 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Vigo County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.6 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 34
Homeownership Rate 88
Legal Distress 81.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Structural Poverty 69.1
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 68
Consumer Credit Distress 63.4
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 46
Subprime Credit Population 70
Economic Vitality 56.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Vigo County
Vigo County, IN 70.3 Serious —
Sullivan County, IN 53.4 Elevated -16.9
Vermillion County, IN 52.3 Elevated -18.0
Clay County, IN 46.6 Normal -23.7
Parke County, IN 46.4 Normal -23.9
Edgar County, IL 40.7 Normal -29.6
Clark County, IL 37.9 Normal -32.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Vigo County
Pottawatomie County, OK 70.3 Serious +0.0
Hernando County, FL 70.1 Serious -0.1
Acadia Parish, LA 70.1 Serious -0.2
Polk County, TX 70.6 Serious +0.3
Pike County, KY 70.6 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Vigo 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 Vigo 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 Vigo County, Indiana?

    Vigo County has a County Distress Index score of 70.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 378th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Vigo County?

    The primary driver of distress in Vigo County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Vigo County compare to neighboring counties?

    Vigo County (70.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Sullivan County, IN (53.4); Vermillion County, IN (52.3); Clay County, IN (46.6).

  • 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 Serious 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). Vigo County's score of 70.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Vigo 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 Vigo County?

    Vigo County, Indiana has a population of approximately 106,153 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.