Baker County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.9 | 16,912 people · 24th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Baker County, OR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.9 — 2019th 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 Oregon, it ranks 24th of 36 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Baker County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 79.2 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 79.2
Unemployment Rate 91
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 82
Housing Cost Burden 64.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 59
Homeownership Rate 58
Economic Vitality 44.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 12
Legal Distress 30.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Consumer Credit Distress 24.2
Debt in Collections 33
Medical Debt 39
Auto Loan Delinquency 10
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Uninsured Rate 24
Subprime Credit Population 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Baker County
Baker County, OR 42.9 Normal —
Malheur County, OR 56.2 Elevated +13.3
Washington County, ID 54.8 Elevated +11.9
Union County, OR 50.1 Elevated +7.2
Grant County, OR 41.0 Normal -1.9
Wallowa County, OR 34.2 Healthy -8.7
Adams County, ID 33.1 Healthy -9.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Baker County
Linn County, MO 42.9 Normal -0.0
Hampshire County, WV 42.9 Normal -0.0
Orange County, VA 42.9 Normal -0.0
Lincoln County, MT 42.8 Normal -0.1
Bennington County, VT 43.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Baker County

Find an Attorney

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

Oregon State Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 503-684-3763 (Portland); 1-800-452-7636 (statewide)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Baker County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Services of Oregon 503-684-1032 (Portland); 1-800-684-1032 (statewide hotline)
Oregon Law Center 541-672-3429 (Roseburg); 541-485-1017 (Eugene)
Willamette Law Online — Oregon Foreclosure Avoidance Project 503-370-6051

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

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Oregon →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Baker County, Oregon?

    Baker County has a County Distress Index score of 42.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,019th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Baker County?

    The primary driver of distress in Baker County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 79.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Baker County compare to neighboring counties?

    Baker County (42.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Malheur County, OR (56.2); Washington County, ID (54.8); Union County, OR (50.1).

  • 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). Baker County's score of 42.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Baker 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 Baker County?

    Baker County, Oregon has a population of approximately 16,912 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.