Lane County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.4 | 381,181 people · 10th most distressed in Oregon
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Lane County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.4 — 1319th 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 10th of 36 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lane County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 93.8 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 93.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 94
Legal Distress 82.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Economic Vitality 81.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Structural Poverty 51.0
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 30
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 41
Consumer Credit Distress 27.3
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Uninsured Rate 28
Subprime Credit Population 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lane County
Lane County, OR 54.4 Elevated —
Klamath County, OR 66.4 Serious +12.0
Lincoln County, OR 56.5 Elevated +2.2
Linn County, OR 55.9 Elevated +1.5
Douglas County, OR 53.1 Elevated -1.3
Deschutes County, OR 40.3 Normal -14.1
Benton County, OR 39.4 Normal -15.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lane County
Fort Bend County, TX 54.3 Elevated -0.1
Orange County, NY 54.5 Elevated +0.1
Durham County, NC 54.3 Elevated -0.1
Macomb County, MI 54.1 Elevated -0.3
Canyon County, ID 54.8 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lane County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Lane County.

DevNW
Springfield
541-345-7106 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Lane 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 Lane County, Oregon?

    Lane County has a County Distress Index score of 54.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,319th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lane County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lane County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 93.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lane County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lane County (54.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Klamath County, OR (66.4); Lincoln County, OR (56.5); Linn County, OR (55.9).

  • 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). Lane County's score of 54.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lane 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 Lane County?

    Lane County, Oregon has a population of approximately 381,181 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.