Deschutes County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.3 | 208,513 people · 29th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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Deschutes County, OR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.2 — 2178th 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 29th of 36 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Deschutes County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 81.8 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 81.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 68
Legal Distress 75.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Economic Vitality 65.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Structural Poverty 20.1
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 16
Transfer Income Dependency 14
Consumer Credit Distress 16.2
Debt in Collections 13
Medical Debt 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Uninsured Rate 34
Subprime Credit Population 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Deschutes County
Deschutes County, OR 40.3 Normal —
Klamath County, OR 66.4 Serious +26.1
Lake County, OR 64.4 Elevated +24.2
Jefferson County, OR 58.0 Elevated +17.7
Linn County, OR 55.9 Elevated +15.7
Lane County, OR 54.4 Elevated +14.1
Harney County, OR 44.9 Normal +4.6
Crook County, OR 44.0 Normal +3.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Deschutes County
Blue Earth County, MN 40.2 Normal -0.0
Tompkins County, NY 40.4 Normal +0.2
Skagit County, WA 40.0 Normal -0.2
Clallam County, WA 40.5 Normal +0.3
Missoula County, MT 40.5 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Deschutes County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Deschutes County.

NEIGHBORIMPACT
Redmond
541-323-6567 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
NEIGHBORIMPACT- BEND HOUSING CENTER
BEND
541-323-6567 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial 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 Deschutes 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 Deschutes County, Oregon?

    Deschutes County has a County Distress Index score of 40.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,178th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Deschutes County?

    The primary driver of distress in Deschutes County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 81.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Deschutes County compare to neighboring counties?

    Deschutes County (40.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Klamath County, OR (66.4); Lake County, OR (64.4); Jefferson County, OR (58.0).

  • 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). Deschutes County's score of 40.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Deschutes 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 Deschutes County?

    Deschutes County, Oregon has a population of approximately 208,513 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.