Multnomah County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.4 | 789,698 people · 16th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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Multnomah County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.4 — 1549th 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 16th 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. Multnomah County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 92.5 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 92.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 97
Legal Distress 70.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Economic Vitality 68.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Structural Poverty 30.0
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 44
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 25
Disability Rate 30
Transfer Income Dependency 9
Consumer Credit Distress 30.0
Debt in Collections 26
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Uninsured Rate 28
Subprime Credit Population 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Multnomah County
Multnomah County, OR 50.4 Elevated —
Columbia County, OR 48.7 Normal -1.7
Clark County, WA 43.1 Normal -7.3
Clackamas County, OR 40.4 Normal -10.1
Washington County, OR 39.6 Normal -10.8
Hood River County, OR 32.5 Healthy -17.9
Skamania County, WA 31.7 Healthy -18.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Multnomah County
Weld County, CO 50.4 Elevated -0.0
Suffolk County, MA 50.5 Elevated +0.1
Monroe County, NY 50.2 Elevated -0.2
Richmond County, NY 50.1 Elevated -0.3
El Paso County, CO 51.0 Elevated +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Multnomah County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Multnomah County.

AFRICAN AMERICAN ALLIANCE FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP, INC.
Portland
503-595-3517 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
HACIENDA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Portland
503-961-6432 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-Lease/Pre-PurchasePre-Purchase
NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH AND FAMILY CENTER
Portland
503-288-8177 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase
PORTLAND COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT INITIATIVES, INC
Portland
503-288-2923 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase
PORTLAND HOUSING CENTER
Portland
503-282-7744 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase

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 Multnomah 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 Multnomah County, Oregon?

    Multnomah County has a County Distress Index score of 50.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,549th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Multnomah County?

    The primary driver of distress in Multnomah County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 92.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Multnomah County compare to neighboring counties?

    Multnomah County (50.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Columbia County, OR (48.7); Clark County, WA (43.1); Clackamas County, OR (40.4).

  • 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). Multnomah County's score of 50.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Multnomah 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 Multnomah County?

    Multnomah County, Oregon has a population of approximately 789,698 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.