Scioto County, Ohio

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.5 | 71,969 people · 6th most distressed in Ohio
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Scioto County, OH shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.5 — 466th 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 6th of 88 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Scioto County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 86.6 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 86.6
Unemployment Rate 89
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 77
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Legal Distress 83.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Housing Cost Burden 70.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 74
Consumer Credit Distress 63.5
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 20
Subprime Credit Population 76
Economic Vitality 50.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 86
House Price Change (YoY) 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scioto County
Scioto County, OH 68.5 Serious —
Jackson County, OH 69.0 Serious +0.5
Pike County, OH 68.7 Serious +0.2
Adams County, OH 67.9 Serious -0.6
Lawrence County, OH 64.9 Elevated -3.5
Greenup County, KY 57.6 Elevated -10.9
Lewis County, KY 55.7 Elevated -12.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scioto County
St. Martin Parish, LA 68.5 Serious 0.0
Orange County, TX 68.5 Serious 0.0
Walton County, GA 68.5 Serious -0.0
Montgomery County, TN 68.5 Serious +0.0
Atascosa County, TX 68.4 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Scioto 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 Scioto 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 Scioto County, Ohio?

    Scioto County has a County Distress Index score of 68.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 466th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in Ohio out of 88 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scioto County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scioto County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 86.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Scioto County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scioto County (68.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jackson County, OH (69.0); Pike County, OH (68.7); Adams County, OH (67.9).

  • 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). Scioto County's score of 68.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Scioto 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 Scioto County?

    Scioto County, Ohio has a population of approximately 71,969 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.