Franklin County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.4 | 1,326,063 people · 17th most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

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Columbus is the rare major metro that kept growing while the rest of Ohio contracted. Franklin County's population tops 1.3 million, anchored by Ohio State, a growing tech corridor, and a state government payroll. The story should be simple prosperity. The score says otherwise. 51.8, Elevated. The debt numbers tell the first part. Credit card delinquency runs at 6.2%, auto loan delinquency at 7.5%, and student loan delinquency at 17.0%. That student loan figure is striking for a county built around a major research university. Bankruptcy filings run at 224 per 100,000 residents. The second part is income. Nearly one in five children lives in poverty. The county's median household income barely exceeds the state figure at 1.1x. The growth attracted people. It didn't necessarily attract wages. Housing Cost Burden registers at the 79.6th percentile. Nearly 43% of renters are cost-burdened. Among its neighbors, Pickaway County scores 50.5 (Elevated). Franklin ranks 40th of 88 Ohio counties. The growth capital of the Rust Belt scores worse than half the state it anchors.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 80.7 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 80.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 81
Housing Cost Burden 76.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 97
Consumer Credit Distress 65.1
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 66
Economic Vitality 42.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 36
Rent-to-Income Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 57
Structural Poverty 33.8
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 28
Child Poverty Rate 60
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, OH 62.4 Elevated —
Pickaway County, OH 55.2 Elevated -7.2
Fairfield County, OH 50.1 Elevated -12.3
Licking County, OH 47.7 Normal -14.7
Madison County, OH 46.9 Normal -15.6
Union County, OH 25.5 Healthy -36.9
Delaware County, OH 21.0 Healthy -41.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Riverside County, CA 62.8 Elevated +0.4
Pima County, AZ 61.5 Elevated -0.9
Cuyahoga County, OH 63.7 Elevated +1.2
Maricopa County, AZ 60.7 Elevated -1.7
Palm Beach County, FL 59.5 Elevated -2.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Franklin County.

APPRISEN - CCCS OF CENTRAL OHIO, INC.
Gahanna
614-552-2222 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseRental Help
COLUMBUS HOUSING PARTNERSHIP, INC, DBA HOMEPORT
Columbus
614-221-8889 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
COLUMBUS URBAN LEAGUE
Columbus
614-257-6300 Website
Financial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer EducationRental Help
HOMES ON THE HILL
Columbus
614-275-4663 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
NID-HCA COLUMBUS
COLUMBUS
614-418-6056 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Ohio →

Find an Attorney

Ohio State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Ohio State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-282-6556

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Franklin County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Cleveland 216-687-1900
Columbus Legal Aid Society 614-224-8374
Community Legal Aid (Akron/Canton) 330-535-4191
Ohio Legal Help
Ohio State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 1-800-282-6556
Community Legal Aid Services, Inc. (800) 998-9454
Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati (513) 241-9400
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (614) 221-7201
Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. (888) 534-1432
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland (216) 687-1900

Self-Help Resources

Ohio Legal Help — Foreclosure Self-help guides for Ohio foreclosure process and defenses
OHFA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

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 Ohio →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Franklin County, Ohio?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 62.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 805th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 80.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (62.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pickaway County, OH (55.2); Fairfield County, OH (50.1); Licking County, OH (47.7).

  • 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 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). Franklin County's score of 62.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Ohio has a population of approximately 1,326,063 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.