Grays Harbor County, Washington

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.8 | 77,290 people · 4th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Grays Harbor County, WA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.8 — 1532nd 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 4th of 39 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Grays Harbor County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.6 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.6
Unemployment Rate 96
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 69
Child Poverty Rate 57
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Legal Distress 66.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Housing Cost Burden 62.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 59
Economic Vitality 57.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 58
Consumer Credit Distress 34.8
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 39

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Grays Harbor County
Grays Harbor County, WA 50.8 Elevated —
Lewis County, WA 48.5 Normal -2.3
Thurston County, WA 45.8 Normal -5.1
Pacific County, WA 40.8 Normal -10.1
Mason County, WA 38.4 Normal -12.4
Jefferson County, WA 27.2 Healthy -23.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Grays Harbor County
Macon County, IL 50.8 Elevated -0.0
Berrien County, MI 50.9 Elevated +0.0
Yamhill County, OR 50.8 Elevated -0.1
Roane County, TN 51.0 Elevated +0.1
Tuscarawas County, OH 51.1 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Grays Harbor County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Grays Harbor 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 Grays Harbor 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.

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Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Washington →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Grays Harbor County, Washington?

    Grays Harbor County has a County Distress Index score of 50.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,532nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Grays Harbor County?

    The primary driver of distress in Grays Harbor County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Grays Harbor County compare to neighboring counties?

    Grays Harbor County (50.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Lewis County, WA (48.5); Thurston County, WA (45.8); Pacific County, WA (40.8).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Grays Harbor County's score of 50.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Grays Harbor County's CDI score?

    Grays Harbor 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 Grays Harbor County?

    Grays Harbor County, Washington has a population of approximately 77,290 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.