Ferry County, Washington

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.6 | 7,497 people · 34th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Ferry County, WA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.6 — 2675th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Washington, it ranks 34th of 39 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ferry County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 89.9 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 89.9
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 74
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Economic Vitality 45.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 44
Business Formation Rate 81
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 33.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 28
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 44
Consumer Credit Distress 14.8
Debt in Collections 6
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Uninsured Rate 24
Subprime Credit Population 25
Legal Distress 11.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ferry County
Ferry County, WA 31.6 Healthy —
Okanogan County, WA 44.0 Normal +12.4
Stevens County, WA 34.7 Healthy +3.1
Lincoln County, WA 26.4 Healthy -5.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ferry County
Wrangell City and Borough, AK 31.6 Healthy +0.0
Daviess County, MO 31.6 Healthy +0.0
Wayne County, NE 31.6 Healthy +0.1
Hettinger County, ND 31.6 Healthy +0.1
Edwards County, IL 31.6 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ferry 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 Ferry 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 Ferry County, Washington?

    Ferry County has a County Distress Index score of 31.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,675th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ferry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ferry County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 89.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Ferry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ferry County (31.6) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Okanogan County, WA (44.0); Stevens County, WA (34.7); Lincoln County, WA (26.4).

  • 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). Ferry County's score of 31.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Ferry 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 Ferry County?

    Ferry County, Washington has a population of approximately 7,497 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.