Owyhee County, Idaho

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.9 | 12,722 people · 4th most distressed in Idaho
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Owyhee County, ID registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.9 — 1407th 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 4th of 44 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Owyhee County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 75.2 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 75.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 17
Consumer Credit Distress 65.0
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 59
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 67
Structural Poverty 48.6
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 36
Income vs. State Median 73
Child Poverty Rate 40
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 26
Legal Distress 37.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37
Housing Cost Burden 25.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 10
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 91
Homeownership Rate 67

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Owyhee County
Owyhee County, ID 52.9 Elevated —
Malheur County, OR 56.2 Elevated +3.3
Canyon County, ID 54.8 Elevated +1.9
Twin Falls County, ID 50.2 Elevated -2.7
Elko County, NV 47.7 Normal -5.2
Elmore County, ID 43.4 Normal -9.6
Humboldt County, NV 43.0 Normal -9.9
Ada County, ID 35.7 Normal -17.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Owyhee County
Carroll County, AR 53.0 Elevated +0.0
Marion County, KY 53.0 Elevated +0.1
Marshall County, WV 52.8 Elevated -0.1
Accomack County, VA 53.0 Elevated +0.1
Douglas County, MO 52.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Owyhee 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 Owyhee 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 Owyhee County, Idaho?

    Owyhee County has a County Distress Index score of 52.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,407th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Idaho out of 44 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Owyhee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Owyhee County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 75.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Owyhee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Owyhee County (52.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Malheur County, OR (56.2); Canyon County, ID (54.8); Twin Falls County, ID (50.2).

  • 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). Owyhee County's score of 52.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Owyhee 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 Owyhee County?

    Owyhee County, Idaho has a population of approximately 12,722 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.