Pacific County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.8 | 24,200 people · 20th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Pacific County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.8 — 2146th 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 20th 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. Pacific County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 78.7 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 78.7
Unemployment Rate 99
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 51
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Housing Cost Burden 56.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 14
Economic Vitality 56.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Business Formation Rate 36
House Price Change (YoY) 40
Legal Distress 39.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 40
Consumer Credit Distress 19.7
Debt in Collections 21
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pacific County
Pacific County, WA 40.8 Normal —
Grays Harbor County, WA 50.8 Elevated +10.1
Clatsop County, OR 48.8 Normal +8.0
Lewis County, WA 48.5 Normal +7.7
Wahkiakum County, WA 36.4 Normal -4.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pacific County
Taylor County, WV 40.8 Normal +0.0
Edgar County, IL 40.7 Normal -0.1
Bedford County, PA 40.7 Normal -0.1
Fayette County, IL 40.7 Normal -0.1
Susquehanna County, PA 40.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pacific 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 Pacific 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 Pacific County, Washington?

    Pacific County has a County Distress Index score of 40.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,146th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pacific County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pacific County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 78.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Pacific County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pacific County (40.8) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Grays Harbor County, WA (50.8); Clatsop County, OR (48.8); Lewis County, WA (48.5).

  • 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). Pacific County's score of 40.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Pacific 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 Pacific County?

    Pacific County, Washington has a population of approximately 24,200 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.