Douglas County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.1 | 112,435 people · 13th most distressed in Oregon
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Douglas County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.1 — 1391st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Oregon, it ranks 13th of 36 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Douglas County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 80.6 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 80.6
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 65
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Legal Distress 76.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Economic Vitality 70.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 72
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 47
House Price Change (YoY) 75
Housing Cost Burden 68.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 63
Consumer Credit Distress 31.1
Debt in Collections 36
Medical Debt 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 24
Subprime Credit Population 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Douglas County
Douglas County, OR 53.1 Elevated —
Klamath County, OR 66.4 Serious +13.2
Josephine County, OR 58.2 Elevated +5.1
Coos County, OR 55.7 Elevated +2.6
Lane County, OR 54.4 Elevated +1.3
Jackson County, OR 53.6 Elevated +0.5
Curry County, OR 49.0 Normal -4.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Douglas County
Cabarrus County, NC 53.1 Elevated +0.0
Humboldt County, CA 53.3 Elevated +0.1
Indian River County, FL 53.0 Elevated -0.2
Oswego County, NY 53.0 Elevated -0.2
Hall County, NE 53.3 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Douglas County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Douglas County.

NEIGHBORWORKS UMPQUA
Roseburg
541-673-4909 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase

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 Douglas 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 Douglas County, Oregon?

    Douglas County has a County Distress Index score of 53.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,391st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Douglas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Douglas County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 80.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Douglas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Douglas County (53.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Klamath County, OR (66.4); Josephine County, OR (58.2); Coos County, OR (55.7).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Douglas County's score of 53.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Douglas 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 Douglas County?

    Douglas County, Oregon has a population of approximately 112,435 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.