Clark County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.1 | 521,150 people · 15th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Clark County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.1 — 2010th 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 15th of 39 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clark County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 82.3 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 82.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 82
Economic Vitality 67.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 12
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Legal Distress 63.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Consumer Credit Distress 23.6
Debt in Collections 20
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Uninsured Rate 38
Subprime Credit Population 25
Structural Poverty 19.9
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 8
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clark County
Clark County, WA 43.1 Normal —
Multnomah County, OR 50.4 Elevated +7.3
Columbia County, OR 48.7 Normal +5.6
Cowlitz County, WA 46.9 Normal +3.8
Skamania County, WA 31.7 Healthy -11.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clark County
San Luis Obispo County, CA 42.8 Normal -0.3
Plymouth County, MA 43.4 Normal +0.3
Albany County, NY 43.5 Normal +0.4
Kent County, MI 43.5 Normal +0.4
Lancaster County, PA 42.5 Normal -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clark 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 Clark 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 Clark County, Washington?

    Clark County has a County Distress Index score of 43.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,010th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 15th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clark County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clark County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 82.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Clark County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clark County (43.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Multnomah County, OR (50.4); Columbia County, OR (48.7); Cowlitz County, WA (46.9).

  • 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). Clark County's score of 43.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Clark 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 Clark County?

    Clark County, Washington has a population of approximately 521,150 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.