Washington County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.1 | 23,534 people · 10th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Washington County, MO shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.1 — 435th 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 Missouri, it ranks 10th of 115 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Washington County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 82.2 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 82.2
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Consumer Credit Distress 81.6
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 81
Legal Distress 65.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Economic Vitality 58.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 64
Housing Cost Burden 39.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Washington County
Washington County, MO 69.1 Serious —
St. Francois County, MO 67.6 Serious -1.5
Iron County, MO 59.8 Elevated -9.3
Crawford County, MO 55.4 Elevated -13.7
Franklin County, MO 44.2 Normal -24.9
Jefferson County, MO 42.6 Normal -26.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Washington County
Essex County, VA 69.0 Serious -0.0
Madison County, TX 69.0 Serious -0.1
Karnes County, TX 69.2 Serious +0.1
Jackson County, OH 69.0 Serious -0.1
Erath County, TX 69.2 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washington County

Find an Attorney

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

Missouri Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 573-635-4128

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Washington County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri 314-534-4200 (St. Louis); 1-800-444-0514 (statewide hotline)
Legal Aid of Western Missouri 816-474-6750 (Kansas City); 1-800-748-2057 (statewide hotline)
Central Missouri Legal Services 573-442-0116
The Legal Aid and Defender Association (LAD) 816-474-6750
Legal Services of Southern Missouri (417) 881-1397
Mid-Missouri Legal Services Corporation (573) 442-0116

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Washington County, Missouri?

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 69.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 435th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 82.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Washington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Washington County (69.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: St. Francois County, MO (67.6); Iron County, MO (59.8); Crawford County, MO (55.4).

  • 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). Washington County's score of 69.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Washington 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 Washington County?

    Washington County, Missouri has a population of approximately 23,534 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.