Pike County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.7 | 27,001 people · 5th most distressed in Ohio
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Pike County, OH shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.7 — 451st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Ohio, it ranks 5th of 88 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pike County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 87.3 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 87.3
Unemployment Rate 96
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 87
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 84
Legal Distress 80.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Consumer Credit Distress 70.0
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 25
Subprime Credit Population 80
Housing Cost Burden 63.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 64
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 82
Economic Vitality 36.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 4
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 87
House Price Change (YoY) 53

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pike County
Pike County, OH 68.7 Serious —
Ross County, OH 71.3 Serious +2.7
Jackson County, OH 69.0 Serious +0.3
Scioto County, OH 68.5 Serious -0.2
Adams County, OH 67.9 Serious -0.8
Highland County, OH 55.5 Elevated -13.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pike County
Atoka County, OK 68.7 Serious +0.0
Taylor County, FL 68.8 Serious +0.1
Simpson County, MS 68.8 Serious +0.1
Campbell County, TN 68.5 Serious -0.2
Chambers County, AL 68.5 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pike County

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 Pike 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 Pike County, Ohio?

    Pike County has a County Distress Index score of 68.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 451st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pike County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pike County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 87.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Pike County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pike County (68.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Ross County, OH (71.3); Jackson County, OH (69.0); Scioto County, OH (68.5).

  • 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). Pike County's score of 68.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Pike 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 Pike County?

    Pike County, Ohio has a population of approximately 27,001 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.