Portage County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.2 | 162,665 people · 40th most distressed in Ohio
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Portage County, OH registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.2 — 1329th 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 Ohio, it ranks 40th of 88 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Portage County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.8 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 70
Legal Distress 81.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 81
Economic Vitality 54.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 42
Consumer Credit Distress 39.8
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 20
Subprime Credit Population 42
Structural Poverty 34.9
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 36
Disability Rate 25
Transfer Income Dependency 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Portage County
Portage County, OH 54.2 Elevated —
Trumbull County, OH 66.0 Serious +11.8
Mahoning County, OH 65.8 Serious +11.6
Cuyahoga County, OH 63.7 Elevated +9.4
Summit County, OH 56.9 Elevated +2.7
Stark County, OH 52.8 Elevated -1.4
Geauga County, OH 22.4 Healthy -31.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Portage County
Randall County, TX 54.2 Elevated 0.0
Wilkes County, NC 54.2 Elevated -0.0
Logan County, OK 54.0 Elevated -0.2
Wise County, TX 54.0 Elevated -0.2
Grady County, OK 54.5 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Portage 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 Portage 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 Portage County, Ohio?

    Portage County has a County Distress Index score of 54.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,329th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Portage County?

    The primary driver of distress in Portage County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Portage County compare to neighboring counties?

    Portage County (54.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Trumbull County, OH (66.0); Mahoning County, OH (65.8); Cuyahoga County, OH (63.7).

  • 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). Portage County's score of 54.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Portage 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 Portage County?

    Portage County, Ohio has a population of approximately 162,665 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.