Columbia County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.7 | 53,880 people · 20th most distressed in Oregon
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Columbia County, OR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.7 — 1664th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Oregon, it ranks 20th of 36 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Columbia County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 84.2 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 84.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 86
Housing Cost Burden 70.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 43
Legal Distress 67.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Structural Poverty 39.3
Unemployment Rate 91
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 17
Disability Rate 58
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Consumer Credit Distress 31.4
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 41
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Uninsured Rate 26
Subprime Credit Population 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Columbia County
Columbia County, OR 48.7 Normal —
Multnomah County, OR 50.4 Elevated +1.7
Clatsop County, OR 48.8 Normal +0.1
Cowlitz County, WA 46.9 Normal -1.8
Clark County, WA 43.1 Normal -5.6
Tillamook County, OR 42.5 Normal -6.2
Washington County, OR 39.6 Normal -9.1
Wahkiakum County, WA 36.4 Normal -12.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Columbia County
Monroe County, MI 48.7 Normal -0.0
Polk County, OR 48.7 Normal -0.0
Grant County, WA 48.6 Normal -0.1
Cambria County, PA 48.8 Normal +0.1
Niagara County, NY 48.8 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Columbia 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 Columbia 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Columbia County has a County Distress Index score of 48.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,664th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Columbia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Columbia County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 84.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Columbia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Columbia County (48.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Multnomah County, OR (50.4); Clatsop County, OR (48.8); Cowlitz County, WA (46.9).

  • 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). Columbia County's score of 48.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Columbia 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 Columbia County?

    Columbia County, Oregon has a population of approximately 53,880 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.