Pend Oreille County, Washington

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.7 | 14,361 people · 36th most distressed in Washington
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Pend Oreille County, WA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.7 — 2720th 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 36th 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. Pend Oreille County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 78.0 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 78.0
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 76
Child Poverty Rate 68
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 84
Legal Distress 34.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Housing Cost Burden 32.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 36
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 34
Economic Vitality 29.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 7
Consumer Credit Distress 16.0
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 9
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Uninsured Rate 34
Subprime Credit Population 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pend Oreille County
Pend Oreille County, WA 30.7 Healthy —
Spokane County, WA 47.7 Normal +17.0
Stevens County, WA 34.7 Healthy +4.0
Bonner County, ID 33.7 Healthy +3.0
Boundary County, ID 25.7 Healthy -4.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pend Oreille County
Franklin County, IN 30.7 Healthy -0.0
Emery County, UT 30.7 Healthy -0.0
Crawford County, IL 30.6 Healthy -0.0
Becker County, MN 30.7 Healthy +0.0
Camden County, NC 30.8 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Pend Oreille County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Pend Oreille 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 Pend Oreille 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 Pend Oreille County, Washington?

    Pend Oreille County has a County Distress Index score of 30.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,720th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pend Oreille County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pend Oreille County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 78.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Pend Oreille County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pend Oreille County (30.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Spokane County, WA (47.7); Stevens County, WA (34.7); Bonner County, ID (33.7).

  • 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). Pend Oreille County's score of 30.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • What data sources power Pend Oreille County's CDI score?

    Pend Oreille 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 Pend Oreille County?

    Pend Oreille County, Washington has a population of approximately 14,361 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.