Jackson County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.6 | 220,768 people · 11th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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Jackson County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.6 — 1363rd 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 11th of 36 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jackson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.2 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 84
Legal Distress 84.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Economic Vitality 72.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Structural Poverty 50.2
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 42
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 30
Disability Rate 55
Transfer Income Dependency 53
Consumer Credit Distress 30.4
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 33
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Uninsured Rate 28
Subprime Credit Population 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, OR 53.6 Elevated —
Klamath County, OR 66.4 Serious +12.8
Josephine County, OR 58.2 Elevated +4.6
Siskiyou County, CA 53.6 Elevated -0.0
Douglas County, OR 53.1 Elevated -0.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Kenosha County, WI 53.6 Elevated +0.0
Schenectady County, NY 53.7 Elevated +0.0
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated -0.1
Umatilla County, OR 53.5 Elevated -0.1
Davidson County, NC 53.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Jackson County.

ACCESS
Medford
541-779-6691 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPre-Purchase
CCCS OF SOUTHERN OREGON
Medford
541-779-2273 Website
Reverse Mortgage

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 Jackson 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 Jackson County, Oregon?

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 53.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,363rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (53.6) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Klamath County, OR (66.4); Josephine County, OR (58.2); Siskiyou County, CA (53.6).

  • 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). Jackson County's score of 53.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, Oregon has a population of approximately 220,768 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.