Linn County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.9 | 131,496 people · 8th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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Linn County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.9 — 1208th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Oregon, it ranks 8th of 36 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Linn County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 84.9 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 84.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Housing Cost Burden 82.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 80
Economic Vitality 75.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 47
House Price Change (YoY) 68
Structural Poverty 62.1
Unemployment Rate 86
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 72
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Consumer Credit Distress 33.5
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 24
Uninsured Rate 36
Subprime Credit Population 42

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Linn County
Linn County, OR 55.9 Elevated —
Marion County, OR 58.3 Elevated +2.4
Jefferson County, OR 58.0 Elevated +2.1
Lane County, OR 54.4 Elevated -1.5
Polk County, OR 48.7 Normal -7.3
Deschutes County, OR 40.3 Normal -15.7
Benton County, OR 39.4 Normal -16.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Linn County
Cullman County, AL 56.0 Elevated +0.0
Peoria County, IL 56.0 Elevated +0.0
Pope County, AR 56.0 Elevated +0.1
Greene County, TN 55.8 Elevated -0.1
Elmore County, AL 55.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn County, Oregon?

    Linn County has a County Distress Index score of 55.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,208th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Linn County?

    The primary driver of distress in Linn County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 84.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Linn County compare to neighboring counties?

    Linn County (55.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Marion County, OR (58.3); Jefferson County, OR (58.0); Lane County, OR (54.4).

  • 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 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). Linn County's score of 55.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Linn 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 Linn County?

    Linn County, Oregon has a population of approximately 131,496 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.