Marion County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.3 | 346,741 people · 3rd most distressed in Oregon
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Marion County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.3 — 1055th 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 3rd of 36 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Marion County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 93.7 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 93.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 94
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 90
Legal Distress 85.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Economic Vitality 66.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 79
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 64
Structural Poverty 51.3
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 48
Transfer Income Dependency 50
Consumer Credit Distress 37.9
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 41
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 45

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Marion County, OR 58.3 Elevated —
Jefferson County, OR 58.0 Elevated -0.3
Linn County, OR 55.9 Elevated -2.4
Wasco County, OR 51.6 Elevated -6.7
Yamhill County, OR 50.8 Elevated -7.5
Polk County, OR 48.7 Normal -9.6
Clackamas County, OR 40.4 Normal -17.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Brazoria County, TX 58.4 Elevated +0.1
Bernalillo County, NM 58.8 Elevated +0.5
Yakima County, WA 58.8 Elevated +0.5
Cleveland County, OK 57.7 Elevated -0.6
Greene County, MO 57.7 Elevated -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marion County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Marion County.

DevNW
Salem
503-779-2680 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome 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 Marion 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 Marion County, Oregon?

    Marion County has a County Distress Index score of 58.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,055th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marion County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marion County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 93.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Marion County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marion County (58.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, OR (58.0); Linn County, OR (55.9); Wasco County, OR (51.6).

  • 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). Marion County's score of 58.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Marion 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 Marion County?

    Marion County, Oregon has a population of approximately 346,741 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.