Wasco County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.6 | 26,333 people · 14th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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Wasco County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.6 — 1480th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Oregon, it ranks 14th of 36 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wasco County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 77.5 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 77.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 20
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Housing Cost Burden 71.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 82
Structural Poverty 62.6
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 61
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Legal Distress 57.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Consumer Credit Distress 33.1
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wasco County
Wasco County, OR 51.6 Elevated —
Marion County, OR 58.3 Elevated +6.7
Jefferson County, OR 58.0 Elevated +6.4
Wheeler County, OR 42.5 Normal -9.1
Clackamas County, OR 40.4 Normal -11.2
Sherman County, OR 39.0 Normal -12.5
Klickitat County, WA 38.1 Normal -13.4
Gilliam County, OR 32.9 Healthy -18.7
Hood River County, OR 32.5 Healthy -19.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wasco County
Patrick County, VA 51.6 Elevated -0.0
Barton County, MO 51.6 Elevated +0.0
Green County, KY 51.6 Elevated +0.0
Humphreys County, TN 51.6 Elevated +0.1
Arenac County, MI 51.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wasco County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Wasco County.

COLUMBIA CASCADE HOUSING CORPORATIONS HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER
The Dalles
541-296-5462 Website
Foreclosure PreventionHome Improvement/RehabPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 Wasco 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 Wasco County, Oregon?

    Wasco County has a County Distress Index score of 51.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,480th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wasco County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wasco County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 77.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Wasco County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wasco County (51.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Marion County, OR (58.3); Jefferson County, OR (58.0); Wheeler County, OR (42.5).

  • 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). Wasco County's score of 51.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Wasco 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 Wasco County?

    Wasco County, Oregon has a population of approximately 26,333 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.