Sherman County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.0 | 1,951 people · 32nd most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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Sherman County, OR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.0 — 2254th 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 32nd of 36 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sherman County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 75.9 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 75.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Structural Poverty 62.4
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 62
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 66
Economic Vitality 62.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Housing Cost Burden 29.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 49
Homeownership Rate 80
Consumer Credit Distress 26.4
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sherman County
Sherman County, OR 39.0 Normal —
Wasco County, OR 51.6 Elevated +12.5
Klickitat County, WA 38.1 Normal -0.9
Gilliam County, OR 32.9 Healthy -6.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sherman County
Benson County, ND 39.0 Normal 0.0
Marshall County, KS 39.1 Normal +0.0
Forest County, WI 39.1 Normal +0.0
Pendleton County, WV 39.1 Normal +0.0
Sherman County, TX 39.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sherman 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 Sherman 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 Sherman County, Oregon?

    Sherman County has a County Distress Index score of 39.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,254th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sherman County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sherman County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 75.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Sherman County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sherman County (39.0) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Wasco County, OR (51.6); Klickitat County, WA (38.1); Gilliam County, OR (32.9).

  • 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 Normal 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). Sherman County's score of 39.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Sherman 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 Sherman County?

    Sherman County, Oregon has a population of approximately 1,951 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.