Richland County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.3 | 125,064 people · 28th most distressed in Ohio
American Default Research

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Richland County, OH registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.2 — 1056th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Ohio, it ranks 28th of 88 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Richland County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 79.3 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 79.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Structural Poverty 66.0
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 62
Disability Rate 51
Transfer Income Dependency 64
Housing Cost Burden 64.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 76
Consumer Credit Distress 53.5
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 40
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 67
Uninsured Rate 39
Subprime Credit Population 58
Economic Vitality 39.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Richland County
Richland County, OH 58.3 Elevated —
Crawford County, OH 55.9 Elevated -2.3
Huron County, OH 55.3 Elevated -3.0
Morrow County, OH 48.7 Normal -9.5
Ashland County, OH 45.0 Normal -13.3
Knox County, OH 42.4 Normal -15.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Richland County
Washington County, MD 58.2 Elevated -0.0
Josephine County, OR 58.2 Elevated -0.0
Blount County, AL 58.2 Elevated -0.0
Morgan County, AL 58.3 Elevated +0.0
Hood County, TX 58.4 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland County, Ohio?

    Richland County has a County Distress Index score of 58.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,056th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Richland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Richland County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 79.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Richland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Richland County (58.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Crawford County, OH (55.9); Huron County, OH (55.3); Morrow County, OH (48.7).

  • 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). Richland County's score of 58.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Richland 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 Richland County?

    Richland County, Ohio has a population of approximately 125,064 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.