Clatsop County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.8 | 41,102 people · 19th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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

Clatsop County, OR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.8 — 1656th 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 19th of 36 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. Clatsop County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 82.9 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 82.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 91
Economic Vitality 76.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 62
Structural Poverty 65.6
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 63
Child Poverty Rate 54
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 56
Legal Distress 61.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Consumer Credit Distress 20.8
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 10
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Uninsured Rate 35
Subprime Credit Population 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clatsop County
Clatsop County, OR 48.8 Normal —
Columbia County, OR 48.7 Normal -0.1
Tillamook County, OR 42.5 Normal -6.3
Pacific County, WA 40.8 Normal -8.0
Washington County, OR 39.6 Normal -9.3
Wahkiakum County, WA 36.4 Normal -12.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clatsop County
Morgan County, CO 48.9 Normal +0.0
Dakota County, NE 48.8 Normal -0.1
Morrow County, OH 48.7 Normal -0.1
Logan County, IL 49.0 Normal +0.1
Curry County, OR 49.0 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clatsop 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 Clatsop 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 Clatsop County, Oregon?

    Clatsop County has a County Distress Index score of 48.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,656th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clatsop County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clatsop County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 82.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Clatsop County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clatsop County (48.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Columbia County, OR (48.7); Tillamook County, OR (42.5); Pacific County, WA (40.8).

  • 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). Clatsop County's score of 48.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Clatsop 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 Clatsop County?

    Clatsop County, Oregon has a population of approximately 41,102 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.