Malheur County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.2 | 32,044 people · 7th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Malheur County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.2 — 1189th 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 7th of 36 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Malheur County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 80.3 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 80.3
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 43
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Economic Vitality 70.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 70
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Consumer Credit Distress 53.1
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 56
Housing Cost Burden 51.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 69
Homeownership Rate 88
Legal Distress 29.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Malheur County
Malheur County, OR 56.2 Elevated —
Canyon County, ID 54.8 Elevated -1.4
Washington County, ID 54.8 Elevated -1.5
Owyhee County, ID 52.9 Elevated -3.3
Harney County, OR 44.9 Normal -11.3
Humboldt County, NV 43.0 Normal -13.2
Baker County, OR 42.9 Normal -13.3
Grant County, OR 41.0 Normal -15.3
Payette County, ID 35.6 Normal -20.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Malheur County
St. James Parish, LA 56.2 Elevated 0.0
Love County, OK 56.2 Elevated 0.0
Adams County, WA 56.2 Elevated -0.0
Lewis County, TN 56.3 Elevated +0.1
Beauregard Parish, LA 56.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Malheur County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Malheur County.

COMMUNITY IN ACTION
Ontario
541-889-1060 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Malheur 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Malheur County, Oregon?

    Malheur County has a County Distress Index score of 56.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,189th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Malheur County?

    The primary driver of distress in Malheur County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 80.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Malheur County compare to neighboring counties?

    Malheur County (56.2) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Canyon County, ID (54.8); Washington County, ID (54.8); Owyhee County, ID (52.9).

  • 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). Malheur County's score of 56.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Malheur 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 Malheur County?

    Malheur County, Oregon has a population of approximately 32,044 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.