Wheeler County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.5 | 1,436 people · 26th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Wheeler County, OR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.5 — 2042nd 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 26th of 36 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wheeler County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 89.7 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 89.7
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Economic Vitality 81.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Legal Distress 76.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Housing Cost Burden 28.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 73
Consumer Credit Distress 22.7
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 6
Subprime Credit Population 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wheeler County
Wheeler County, OR 42.5 Normal —
Jefferson County, OR 58.0 Elevated +15.5
Wasco County, OR 51.6 Elevated +9.1
Crook County, OR 44.0 Normal +1.5
Grant County, OR 41.0 Normal -1.5
Gilliam County, OR 32.9 Healthy -9.6
Morrow County, OR 32.7 Healthy -9.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wheeler County
Sheridan County, MT 42.5 Normal +0.1
Surry County, VA 42.6 Normal +0.1
Craig County, VA 42.7 Normal +0.2
Brown County, NE 42.2 Normal -0.3
Ziebach County, SD 42.8 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wheeler 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 Wheeler 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Wheeler County, Oregon?

    Wheeler County has a County Distress Index score of 42.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,042nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wheeler County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wheeler County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 89.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Wheeler County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wheeler County (42.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, OR (58.0); Wasco County, OR (51.6); Crook County, OR (44.0).

  • 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). Wheeler County's score of 42.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Wheeler 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 Wheeler County?

    Wheeler County, Oregon has a population of approximately 1,436 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.