Washington County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.6 | 598,865 people · 30th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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Washington County, OR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.6 — 2218th 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 30th 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. Washington County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 84.0 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 84.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 76
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 92
Legal Distress 69.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Economic Vitality 52.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 89
Consumer Credit Distress 18.4
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 19
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 16
Structural Poverty 15.4
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 8
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 7
Disability Rate 10
Transfer Income Dependency 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Washington County
Washington County, OR 39.6 Normal —
Yamhill County, OR 50.8 Elevated +11.2
Multnomah County, OR 50.4 Elevated +10.8
Clatsop County, OR 48.8 Normal +9.3
Columbia County, OR 48.7 Normal +9.1
Tillamook County, OR 42.5 Normal +2.9
Clackamas County, OR 40.4 Normal +0.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Washington County
Lancaster County, NE 39.7 Normal +0.1
Monmouth County, NJ 39.3 Normal -0.3
Union County, NC 39.1 Normal -0.4
South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT 40.1 Normal +0.6
Sonoma County, CA 40.2 Normal +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washington County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Washington County.

BIENESTAR
Hillsboro
503-693-2937 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
OPEN DOOR COUNSELING CENTER DBA Open Door Housingworks
Hillsboro
503-748-0407 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement

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 Washington 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 Washington County, Oregon?

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 39.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,218th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 84.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Washington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Washington County (39.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Yamhill County, OR (50.8); Multnomah County, OR (50.4); Clatsop County, OR (48.8).

  • 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). Washington County's score of 39.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Washington 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 Washington County?

    Washington County, Oregon has a population of approximately 598,865 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.