Umatilla County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.5 | 80,053 people · 12th most distressed in Oregon
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Umatilla County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.5 — 1371st 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 12th of 36 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Umatilla County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 69.7 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 69.7
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 70
Transfer Income Dependency 58
Economic Vitality 64.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 71
House Price Change (YoY) 30
Legal Distress 58.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 59
Housing Cost Burden 55.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 57
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 43
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 60
Homeownership Rate 80
Consumer Credit Distress 44.7
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 24
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 41
Subprime Credit Population 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Umatilla County
Umatilla County, OR 53.5 Elevated —
Union County, OR 50.1 Elevated -3.4
Walla Walla County, WA 43.5 Normal -10.0
Benton County, WA 42.3 Normal -11.2
Grant County, OR 41.0 Normal -12.5
Columbia County, WA 34.9 Healthy -18.6
Wallowa County, OR 34.2 Healthy -19.3
Morrow County, OR 32.7 Healthy -20.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Umatilla County
Davidson County, NC 53.5 Elevated -0.0
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated +0.0
Morgan County, IN 53.4 Elevated -0.1
Jackson County, OR 53.6 Elevated +0.1
Rockwall County, TX 53.3 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Umatilla 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 Umatilla 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 Umatilla County, Oregon?

    Umatilla County has a County Distress Index score of 53.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,371st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Umatilla County?

    The primary driver of distress in Umatilla County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 69.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Umatilla County compare to neighboring counties?

    Umatilla County (53.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Union County, OR (50.1); Walla Walla County, WA (43.5); 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 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). Umatilla County's score of 53.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Umatilla 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 Umatilla County?

    Umatilla County, Oregon has a population of approximately 80,053 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.