Douglas County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.7 | 44,798 people · 23rd most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Douglas County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.7 — 2211th 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 23rd 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. Douglas County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 80.5 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 80.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 46
House Price Change (YoY) 81
Structural Poverty 51.1
Unemployment Rate 94
Poverty Rate 36
Income vs. State Median 56
Child Poverty Rate 37
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 34
Housing Cost Burden 50.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 44
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 76
Legal Distress 35.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Consumer Credit Distress 24.1
Debt in Collections 11
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Uninsured Rate 79
Subprime Credit Population 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Douglas County
Douglas County, WA 39.7 Normal —
Grant County, WA 48.6 Normal +8.9
Kittitas County, WA 45.3 Normal +5.6
Okanogan County, WA 44.0 Normal +4.3
Chelan County, WA 32.3 Healthy -7.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Douglas County
Mason County, MI 39.7 Normal +0.0
Benton County, MN 39.6 Normal -0.0
Defiance County, OH 39.6 Normal -0.0
Mitchell County, NC 39.7 Normal +0.1
Caledonia County, VT 39.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Douglas 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 Douglas 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 Douglas County, Washington?

    Douglas County has a County Distress Index score of 39.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,211th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Douglas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Douglas County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 80.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Douglas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Douglas County (39.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Grant County, WA (48.6); Kittitas County, WA (45.3); Okanogan County, WA (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). Douglas County's score of 39.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Douglas 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 Douglas County?

    Douglas County, Washington has a population of approximately 44,798 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.