Clackamas County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.4 | 423,173 people · 28th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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Clackamas County, OR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.4 — 2171st 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 28th of 36 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clackamas County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 90.4 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 90.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 65
Legal Distress 70.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Economic Vitality 68.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Structural Poverty 16.1
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 3
Disability Rate 22
Transfer Income Dependency 6
Consumer Credit Distress 13.7
Debt in Collections 9
Medical Debt 17
Auto Loan Delinquency 12
Credit Card Delinquency 21
Uninsured Rate 19
Subprime Credit Population 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clackamas County
Clackamas County, OR 40.4 Normal —
Marion County, OR 58.3 Elevated +17.9
Wasco County, OR 51.6 Elevated +11.2
Yamhill County, OR 50.8 Elevated +10.4
Multnomah County, OR 50.4 Elevated +10.1
Washington County, OR 39.6 Normal -0.8
Hood River County, OR 32.5 Healthy -7.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clackamas County
Sonoma County, CA 40.2 Normal -0.2
South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT 40.1 Normal -0.2
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT 40.6 Normal +0.2
St. Johns County, FL 40.7 Normal +0.4
Larimer County, CO 40.7 Normal +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clackamas County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Clackamas County.

DevNw
OREGON CITY
503-655-8974 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
HOUSING OPTIONS PROVIDED FOR THE ELDERLY
Lake Oswego
971-207-7820 Website
Reverse Mortgage

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 Clackamas 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 Clackamas County, Oregon?

    Clackamas County has a County Distress Index score of 40.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,171st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clackamas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clackamas County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 90.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Clackamas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clackamas County (40.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Marion County, OR (58.3); Wasco County, OR (51.6); Yamhill County, OR (50.8).

  • 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). Clackamas County's score of 40.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Clackamas 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 Clackamas County?

    Clackamas County, Oregon has a population of approximately 423,173 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.