Garfield County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.7 | 2,363 people · 27th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Garfield County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.7 — 2381st 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 27th of 39 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Garfield County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 74.5 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 74.5
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 77
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Housing Cost Burden 55.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 70
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 36
Legal Distress 28.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28
Economic Vitality 22.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 27
Consumer Credit Distress 21.0
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 21
Credit Card Delinquency 25
Uninsured Rate 10
Subprime Credit Population 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Garfield County
Garfield County, WA 36.7 Normal —
Asotin County, WA 48.4 Normal +11.6
Whitman County, WA 41.1 Normal +4.4
Columbia County, WA 34.9 Healthy -1.8
Wallowa County, OR 34.2 Healthy -2.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Garfield County
Union County, IN 36.6 Normal -0.1
Lemhi County, ID 36.6 Normal -0.1
Worth County, MO 36.8 Normal +0.1
Audubon County, IA 36.6 Normal -0.1
Broadwater County, MT 36.9 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Garfield 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 Garfield 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 Garfield County, Washington?

    Garfield County has a County Distress Index score of 36.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,381st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Garfield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Garfield County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 74.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Garfield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Garfield County (36.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Asotin County, WA (48.4); Whitman County, WA (41.1); Columbia County, WA (34.9).

  • 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). Garfield County's score of 36.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Garfield 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 Garfield County?

    Garfield County, Washington has a population of approximately 2,363 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.