Venango County, Pennsylvania

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.9 | 49,431 people · 32nd most distressed in Pennsylvania
American Default Research

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Venango County, PA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.9 — 1900th 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 Pennsylvania, it ranks 32nd of 67 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. Venango County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 70.4 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 70.4
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Legal Distress 55.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Economic Vitality 52.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 38
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 94
House Price Change (YoY) 73
Housing Cost Burden 41.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 15
Homeownership Rate 44
Consumer Credit Distress 36.1
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Uninsured Rate 11
Subprime Credit Population 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Venango County
Venango County, PA 44.9 Normal —
Mercer County, PA 48.5 Normal +3.6
Crawford County, PA 45.1 Normal +0.2
Clarion County, PA 43.3 Normal -1.6
Warren County, PA 36.9 Normal -8.0
Forest County, PA 31.1 Healthy -13.8
Butler County, PA 28.5 Healthy -16.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Venango County
Preble County, OH 44.9 Normal +0.0
Webster County, MO 44.9 Normal -0.1
Cheatham County, TN 45.0 Normal +0.1
Texas County, OK 45.0 Normal +0.1
Llano County, TX 44.8 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Venango County

Find an Attorney

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

Pennsylvania Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-932-0311

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Venango County residents at no cost.

Community Legal Services of Philadelphia 215-981-3700
MidPenn Legal Services 1-800-326-9177
Neighborhood Legal Services Association 412-255-6700
Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN)
Laurel Legal Services, Inc. (800) 253-9558
Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (877) 429-5994
North Penn Legal Services, Inc. (877) 953-4250
Northwestern Legal Services (814) 452-6957
Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center (215) 981-3800
Summit Legal Aid (800) 846-0871

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Venango County, Pennsylvania?

    Venango County has a County Distress Index score of 44.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,900th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Venango County?

    The primary driver of distress in Venango County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 70.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Venango County compare to neighboring counties?

    Venango County (44.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mercer County, PA (48.5); Crawford County, PA (45.1); Clarion County, PA (43.3).

  • 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 Normal 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). Venango County's score of 44.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Venango 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 Venango County?

    Venango County, Pennsylvania has a population of approximately 49,431 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.