Benton County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.3 | 215,219 people · 16th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Benton County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.3 — 2049th 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 16th of 39 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Benton County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.9 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 76
Economic Vitality 56.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 59
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 41
House Price Change (YoY) 58
Legal Distress 52.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 52
Structural Poverty 33.6
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 21
Child Poverty Rate 24
Disability Rate 36
Transfer Income Dependency 22
Consumer Credit Distress 24.9
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 31

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Benton County
Benton County, WA 42.3 Normal —
Yakima County, WA 58.8 Elevated +16.5
Umatilla County, OR 53.5 Elevated +11.2
Grant County, WA 48.6 Normal +6.3
Franklin County, WA 46.0 Normal +3.7
Walla Walla County, WA 43.5 Normal +1.2
Klickitat County, WA 38.1 Normal -4.1
Morrow County, OR 32.7 Healthy -9.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Benton County
Butler County, KS 42.3 Normal -0.0
Montgomery County, VA 42.3 Normal -0.0
Hancock County, ME 42.4 Normal +0.1
Knox County, OH 42.4 Normal +0.1
Belknap County, NH 42.2 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Benton 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 Benton 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 Benton County, Washington?

    Benton County has a County Distress Index score of 42.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,049th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Benton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Benton County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Benton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Benton County (42.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Yakima County, WA (58.8); Umatilla County, OR (53.5); Grant County, WA (48.6).

  • 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). Benton County's score of 42.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Benton 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 Benton County?

    Benton County, Washington has a population of approximately 215,219 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.