Benton County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.4 | 97,713 people · 31st most distressed in Oregon
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Benton County, OR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.4 — 2227th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Oregon, it ranks 31st of 36 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Benton County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 96.0 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 96.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 78
Homeownership Rate 96
Economic Vitality 79.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 77
House Price Change (YoY) 83
Structural Poverty 32.7
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 30
Child Poverty Rate 17
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 10
Legal Distress 15.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16
Consumer Credit Distress 10.7
Debt in Collections 3
Medical Debt 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 17
Credit Card Delinquency 8
Uninsured Rate 20
Subprime Credit Population 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Benton County
Benton County, OR 39.4 Normal —
Lincoln County, OR 56.5 Elevated +17.1
Linn County, OR 55.9 Elevated +16.5
Lane County, OR 54.4 Elevated +15.0
Polk County, OR 48.7 Normal +9.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Benton County
Centre County, PA 39.4 Normal -0.0
LaSalle County, IL 39.5 Normal +0.1
Bradford County, PA 39.6 Normal +0.2
Greene County, OH 39.2 Normal -0.2
Stearns County, MN 39.1 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Benton County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Benton County.

DevNW
Corvallis
541-752-7220 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Oregon →

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 Benton 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Benton County has a County Distress Index score of 39.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,227th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 31st in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Benton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Benton County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 96.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Benton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Benton County (39.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Lincoln County, OR (56.5); Linn County, OR (55.9); Lane County, OR (54.4).

  • 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 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). Benton County's score of 39.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Benton 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 Benton County?

    Benton County, Oregon has a population of approximately 97,713 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.