Klamath County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.4 | 70,003 people · 1st most distressed in Oregon
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Klamath County, OR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.4 — 582nd 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 1st of 36 counties. It scores higher 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. Klamath County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 85.5 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 85.5
Unemployment Rate 99
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Housing Cost Burden 83.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 75
Legal Distress 76.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Economic Vitality 71.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 70
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Consumer Credit Distress 50.5
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 43
Subprime Credit Population 48

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Klamath County
Klamath County, OR 66.4 Serious —
Lake County, OR 64.4 Elevated -1.9
Lane County, OR 54.4 Elevated -12.0
Jackson County, OR 53.6 Elevated -12.8
Siskiyou County, CA 53.6 Elevated -12.8
Douglas County, OR 53.1 Elevated -13.2
Modoc County, CA 48.6 Normal -17.8
Deschutes County, OR 40.3 Normal -26.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Klamath County
Citrus County, FL 66.4 Serious +0.0
Bradley County, TN 66.3 Serious -0.0
Wayne County, IN 66.3 Serious -0.1
Laurens County, SC 66.3 Serious -0.1
Buchanan County, MO 66.3 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Klamath 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 Klamath 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 Klamath County, Oregon?

    Klamath County has a County Distress Index score of 66.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 582nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Klamath County?

    The primary driver of distress in Klamath County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 85.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Klamath County compare to neighboring counties?

    Klamath County (66.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Lake County, OR (64.4); Lane County, OR (54.4); Jackson County, OR (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 Serious 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). Klamath County's score of 66.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Klamath 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 Klamath County?

    Klamath County, Oregon has a population of approximately 70,003 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.