Harney County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.9 | 7,440 people · 22nd most distressed in Oregon
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Harney County, OR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.9 — 1902nd 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 22nd of 36 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Harney County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.0 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.0
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 74
Transfer Income Dependency 75
Legal Distress 68.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Economic Vitality 50.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 38.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 24
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 79
Consumer Credit Distress 34.8
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 40
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 40
Subprime Credit Population 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Harney County
Harney County, OR 44.9 Normal —
Lake County, OR 64.4 Elevated +19.5
Washoe County, NV 59.5 Elevated +14.6
Malheur County, OR 56.2 Elevated +11.3
Crook County, OR 44.0 Normal -0.9
Humboldt County, NV 43.0 Normal -1.9
Grant County, OR 41.0 Normal -3.9
Deschutes County, OR 40.3 Normal -4.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Harney County
Brewster County, TX 44.8 Normal -0.1
Loving County, TX 44.8 Normal -0.1
Lincoln County, CO 44.7 Normal -0.2
Newton County, AR 44.7 Normal -0.2
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK 44.7 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Harney 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 Harney 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 Harney County, Oregon?

    Harney County has a County Distress Index score of 44.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,902nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Harney County?

    The primary driver of distress in Harney County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Harney County compare to neighboring counties?

    Harney County (44.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Lake County, OR (64.4); Washoe County, NV (59.5); Malheur County, OR (56.2).

  • 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). Harney County's score of 44.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Harney 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 Harney County?

    Harney County, Oregon has a population of approximately 7,440 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.