Kittitas County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.3 | 45,508 people · 12th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Kittitas County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.3 — 1881st 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 12th of 39 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Kittitas County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 93.1 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 93.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 97
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 90
Economic Vitality 73.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Legal Distress 61.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 62
Structural Poverty 48.6
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 22
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 24
Consumer Credit Distress 14.1
Debt in Collections 14
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Kittitas County
Kittitas County, WA 45.3 Normal —
Yakima County, WA 58.8 Elevated +13.5
Pierce County, WA 51.2 Elevated +5.9
Grant County, WA 48.6 Normal +3.3
Douglas County, WA 39.7 Normal -5.6
Chelan County, WA 32.3 Healthy -13.0
King County, WA 31.4 Healthy -13.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Kittitas County
Chenango County, NY 45.3 Normal 0.0
Appomattox County, VA 45.4 Normal +0.0
Beltrami County, MN 45.4 Normal +0.1
Perry County, MO 45.3 Normal -0.1
Osage County, KS 45.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kittitas 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 Kittitas 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 Kittitas County, Washington?

    Kittitas County has a County Distress Index score of 45.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,881st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kittitas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kittitas County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 93.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Kittitas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kittitas County (45.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Yakima County, WA (58.8); Pierce County, WA (51.2); Grant County, WA (48.6).

  • 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). Kittitas County's score of 45.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Kittitas 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 Kittitas County?

    Kittitas County, Washington has a population of approximately 45,508 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.