Chelan County, Washington

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.3 | 79,997 people · 32nd most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Chelan County, WA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.3 — 2636th 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 Washington, it ranks 32nd of 39 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Chelan County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 69.7 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 69.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 65
Housing Cost Burden 54.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 88
Structural Poverty 41.7
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 22
Income vs. State Median 39
Child Poverty Rate 25
Disability Rate 67
Transfer Income Dependency 27
Legal Distress 21.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22
Consumer Credit Distress 13.6
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 8
Uninsured Rate 73
Subprime Credit Population 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Chelan County
Chelan County, WA 32.3 Healthy —
Kittitas County, WA 45.3 Normal +13.0
Okanogan County, WA 44.0 Normal +11.7
Snohomish County, WA 41.0 Normal +8.8
Skagit County, WA 40.0 Normal +7.8
Douglas County, WA 39.7 Normal +7.4
King County, WA 31.4 Healthy -0.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Chelan County
Carroll County, NH 32.3 Healthy +0.0
Carroll County, MD 32.3 Healthy +0.0
Rockingham County, VA 32.2 Healthy -0.0
Chittenden County, VT 32.2 Healthy -0.1
Sarpy County, NE 32.1 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chelan 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 Chelan 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 Chelan County, Washington?

    Chelan County has a County Distress Index score of 32.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,636th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chelan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chelan County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 69.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Chelan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chelan County (32.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Kittitas County, WA (45.3); Okanogan County, WA (44.0); Snohomish County, WA (41.0).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Chelan County's score of 32.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Chelan 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 Chelan County?

    Chelan County, Washington has a population of approximately 79,997 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.