Canyon County, Idaho

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.8 | 257,674 people · 2nd most distressed in Idaho
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Canyon County, ID registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.8 — 1287th 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 Idaho, it ranks 2nd of 44 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Canyon County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 77.8 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 77.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Housing Cost Burden 63.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 46
Legal Distress 58.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Consumer Credit Distress 52.9
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 53
Credit Card Delinquency 46
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 49
Structural Poverty 30.1
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 20
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Canyon County
Canyon County, ID 54.8 Elevated —
Malheur County, OR 56.2 Elevated +1.4
Owyhee County, ID 52.9 Elevated -1.9
Ada County, ID 35.7 Normal -19.1
Payette County, ID 35.6 Normal -19.2
Gem County, ID 34.7 Healthy -20.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Canyon County
Erie County, PA 54.8 Elevated +0.0
Lorain County, OH 54.9 Elevated +0.1
Orange County, NY 54.5 Elevated -0.4
Delaware County, PA 55.2 Elevated +0.4
Lane County, OR 54.4 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Canyon County

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

Idaho State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 208-334-4500

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Canyon County residents at no cost.

Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc. 208-336-8980
Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program 208-334-4500

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Canyon County, Idaho?

    Canyon County has a County Distress Index score of 54.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,287th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Idaho out of 44 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Canyon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Canyon County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 77.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Canyon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Canyon County (54.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Malheur County, OR (56.2); Owyhee County, ID (52.9); Ada County, ID (35.7).

  • 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). Canyon County's score of 54.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Canyon 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 Canyon County?

    Canyon County, Idaho has a population of approximately 257,674 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.