Lake County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.4 | 8,293 people · 2nd most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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Lake County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.4 — 675th 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 2nd of 36 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lake County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 77.3 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 77.3
Unemployment Rate 94
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Economic Vitality 69.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Consumer Credit Distress 65.5
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 18
Subprime Credit Population 58
Legal Distress 58.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Housing Cost Burden 54.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 40
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 91

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lake County
Lake County, OR 64.4 Elevated —
Klamath County, OR 66.4 Serious +1.9
Washoe County, NV 59.5 Elevated -5.0
Modoc County, CA 48.6 Normal -15.9
Harney County, OR 44.9 Normal -19.5
Deschutes County, OR 40.3 Normal -24.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lake County
Nicholas County, KY 64.3 Elevated -0.1
Kiowa County, OK 64.3 Elevated -0.2
Costilla County, CO 64.7 Elevated +0.3
Cotton County, OK 64.7 Elevated +0.3
Jeff Davis County, TX 64.1 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lake 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 Lake 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 Lake County, Oregon?

    Lake County has a County Distress Index score of 64.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 675th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lake County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lake County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 77.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Lake County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lake County (64.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Klamath County, OR (66.4); Washoe County, NV (59.5); Modoc County, CA (48.6).

  • 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). Lake County's score of 64.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lake 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 Lake County?

    Lake County, Oregon has a population of approximately 8,293 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.