Adams County, Washington

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.2 | 20,820 people · 2nd most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Adams County, WA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.2 — 1192nd 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 Washington, it ranks 2nd of 39 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Adams County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.0 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 74
Economic Vitality 58.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 42
Business Formation Rate 81
House Price Change (YoY) 68
Legal Distress 55.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Structural Poverty 51.7
Unemployment Rate 92
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 62
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 33
Consumer Credit Distress 47.8
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Adams County
Adams County, WA 56.2 Elevated —
Grant County, WA 48.6 Normal -7.6
Franklin County, WA 46.0 Normal -10.2
Whitman County, WA 41.1 Normal -15.1
Lincoln County, WA 26.4 Healthy -29.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Adams County
Beauregard Parish, LA 56.2 Elevated -0.0
St. James Parish, LA 56.2 Elevated +0.0
Love County, OK 56.2 Elevated +0.0
Malheur County, OR 56.2 Elevated +0.0
Lincoln County, AR 56.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Adams County

Find an Attorney

Washington State Bar Association — Find Legal Help offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Washington State Bar Association — Find Legal Help 1-800-945-9722

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Adams County residents at no cost.

Northwest Justice Project (NJP) 1-888-201-1014
Columbia Legal Services 1-206-464-1122

Self-Help Resources

Washington Law Help — Foreclosure Free legal information and self-help resources for low-income Washington residents, including foreclosure guides, tenant rights in foreclosure, and links to legal aid.
Washington Courts Self-Help Resources Washington Courts website with forms, instructions, and resources for self-represented litigants including those involved in foreclosure-related proceedings.
DFI Foreclosure Assistance and Information Department of Financial Institutions page with foreclosure prevention resources, consumer alerts about foreclosure rescue scams, and links to assistance programs.

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 Washington →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Adams County, Washington?

    Adams County has a County Distress Index score of 56.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,192nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Adams County?

    The primary driver of distress in Adams County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Adams County compare to neighboring counties?

    Adams County (56.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Grant County, WA (48.6); Franklin County, WA (46.0); Whitman County, WA (41.1).

  • 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). Adams County's score of 56.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Adams 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 Adams County?

    Adams County, Washington has a population of approximately 20,820 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.