Morrow County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.7 | 12,302 people · 35th most distressed in Oregon
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Morrow County, OR ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.7 — 2601st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where household incomes are relatively strong and poverty rates are low. Within Oregon, it ranks 35th of 36 counties. It scores lower 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. Morrow County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 42.3 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 42.3
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 37
Disability Rate 57
Transfer Income Dependency 34
Consumer Credit Distress 34.9
Debt in Collections 36
Medical Debt 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 36
Legal Distress 30.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Housing Cost Burden 28.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 16
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 67
Economic Vitality 19.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 61
House Price Change (YoY) 61

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Morrow County
Morrow County, OR 32.7 Healthy —
Umatilla County, OR 53.5 Elevated +20.8
Wheeler County, OR 42.5 Normal +9.8
Benton County, WA 42.3 Normal +9.6
Grant County, OR 41.0 Normal +8.3
Klickitat County, WA 38.1 Normal +5.5
Gilliam County, OR 32.9 Healthy +0.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Morrow County
Warren County, IL 32.6 Healthy -0.1
Aitkin County, MN 32.6 Healthy -0.1
Platte County, NE 32.7 Healthy +0.1
Chaffee County, CO 32.8 Healthy +0.1
Brown County, SD 32.6 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Morrow 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 Morrow 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Morrow County has a County Distress Index score of 32.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,601st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Morrow County?

    The primary driver of distress in Morrow County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 42.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Morrow County compare to neighboring counties?

    Morrow County (32.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Umatilla County, OR (53.5); Wheeler County, OR (42.5); Benton County, WA (42.3).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Morrow County's score of 32.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Morrow 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 Morrow County?

    Morrow County, Oregon has a population of approximately 12,302 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.