Inyo County, California

County Distress Index: Healthy · 34.9 | 18,527 people · 52nd most distressed in California
American Default Research

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Inyo County, CA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 34.9 — 2483rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within California, it ranks 52nd of 58 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Inyo County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 76.2 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 76.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 79
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 89
House Price Change (YoY) 20
Structural Poverty 53.4
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 36
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 31
Disability Rate 50
Transfer Income Dependency 45
Housing Cost Burden 35.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 80
Consumer Credit Distress 24.2
Debt in Collections 20
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 12
Uninsured Rate 41
Subprime Credit Population 44
Legal Distress 17.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Inyo County
Inyo County, CA 34.9 Healthy —
Clark County, NV 76.5 Serious +41.6
Kern County, CA 69.7 Serious +34.8
San Bernardino County, CA 68.7 Serious +33.8
Esmeralda County, NV 67.7 Serious +32.9
Fresno County, CA 67.1 Serious +32.2
Tulare County, CA 66.6 Serious +31.8
Nye County, NV 66.0 Serious +31.1
Mono County, CA 31.6 Healthy -3.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Inyo County
Saline County, NE 34.9 Healthy -0.0
Adams County, IN 34.8 Healthy -0.1
Potter County, PA 34.9 Healthy +0.1
Chippewa County, MN 35.0 Healthy +0.1
Madison County, NE 34.8 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Inyo County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of California — Find a Lawyer offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of California — Find a Lawyer 1-866-442-2529

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Inyo County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) 1-800-399-4529
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) 1-800-433-6251
Bay Area Legal Aid 1-800-551-5554
Legal Services of Northern California 1-800-822-9687
California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) 1-800-337-0690
Inland Counties Legal Services (ICLS) 1-888-245-4257
Legal Aid Society of San Diego 1-877-534-2524
Community Legal Aid SoCal 1-800-834-5001
California Indian Legal Services, Inc. (760) 746-8941
Central California Legal Services (800) 675-8001
Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Inc. (661) 325-5943

Self-Help Resources

California Courts Self-Help — Foreclosure and Mortgage Help Official California courts self-help resource with information on foreclosure procedures, homeowner rights, tenant protections in foreclosure, and links to free legal help.
LawHelpCA — Foreclosure Prevention Statewide legal aid directory connecting Californians with free legal information and local legal aid providers for foreclosure prevention, including links to self-help guides and intake forms.
California Attorney General — Homeowner Bill of Rights Official AG page explaining HBOR protections, including fact sheets on dual-tracking prohibition, single point of contact, and how to file a complaint about servicer violations.
DFPI Mortgage Relief Resources DFPI consumer resources for housing and mortgage issues, including information on PACE financing, foreclosure scam alerts, and how to file complaints against licensees.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Inyo County, California?

    Inyo County has a County Distress Index score of 34.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,483rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in California out of 58 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Inyo County?

    The primary driver of distress in Inyo County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 76.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Inyo County compare to neighboring counties?

    Inyo County (34.9) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Clark County, NV (76.5); Kern County, CA (69.7); San Bernardino County, CA (68.7).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Inyo County's score of 34.9 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Inyo 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 Inyo County?

    Inyo County, California has a population of approximately 18,527 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.