Hood River County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.5 | 23,745 people · 36th most distressed in Oregon
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Hood River County, OR ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.5 — 2617th 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 36th of 36 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hood River County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 78.4 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 78.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 73
Housing Cost Burden 64.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 77
Legal Distress 32.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32
Structural Poverty 24.8
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 23
Disability Rate 21
Transfer Income Dependency 13
Consumer Credit Distress 10.7
Debt in Collections 1
Medical Debt 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 14
Credit Card Delinquency 4
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 3

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hood River County
Hood River County, OR 32.5 Healthy —
Wasco County, OR 51.6 Elevated +19.1
Multnomah County, OR 50.4 Elevated +17.9
Clackamas County, OR 40.4 Normal +7.9
Klickitat County, WA 38.1 Normal +5.6
Skamania County, WA 31.7 Healthy -0.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hood River County
Archuleta County, CO 32.5 Healthy 0.0
Currituck County, NC 32.5 Healthy 0.0
Cherokee County, IA 32.5 Healthy -0.0
Le Sueur County, MN 32.5 Healthy -0.0
Nobles County, MN 32.5 Healthy +0.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Hood River County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Hood River 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 Hood River 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 Hood River County, Oregon?

    Hood River County has a County Distress Index score of 32.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,617th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hood River County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hood River County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 78.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Hood River County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hood River County (32.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Wasco County, OR (51.6); Multnomah County, OR (50.4); Clackamas County, OR (40.4).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Hood River County's score of 32.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • What data sources power Hood River County's CDI score?

    Hood River 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 Hood River County?

    Hood River County, Oregon has a population of approximately 23,745 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.