Pierce County, Washington

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.2 | 928,696 people · 3rd most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Pierce County, WA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.2 — 1509th 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 3rd of 39 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pierce County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.0 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 85
Economic Vitality 71.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 61
Legal Distress 62.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Consumer Credit Distress 35.9
Debt in Collections 33
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 43
Structural Poverty 25.9
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 8
Child Poverty Rate 16
Disability Rate 30
Transfer Income Dependency 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pierce County
Pierce County, WA 51.2 Elevated —
Yakima County, WA 58.8 Elevated +7.6
Lewis County, WA 48.5 Normal -2.7
Thurston County, WA 45.8 Normal -5.4
Kittitas County, WA 45.3 Normal -5.9
Kitsap County, WA 38.9 Normal -12.3
Mason County, WA 38.4 Normal -12.8
King County, WA 31.4 Healthy -19.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pierce County
Chesterfield County, VA 51.3 Elevated +0.1
El Paso County, CO 51.0 Elevated -0.2
Suffolk County, MA 50.5 Elevated -0.7
Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT 52.0 Elevated +0.8
Buncombe County, NC 52.0 Elevated +0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pierce County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Pierce County.

TACOMA/ PIERCE COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Tacoma
253-627-5626x120 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Washington →

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 Pierce 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 Pierce County, Washington?

    Pierce County has a County Distress Index score of 51.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,509th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pierce County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pierce County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Pierce County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pierce County (51.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Yakima County, WA (58.8); Lewis County, WA (48.5); Thurston County, WA (45.8).

  • 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). Pierce County's score of 51.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Pierce 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 Pierce County?

    Pierce County, Washington has a population of approximately 928,696 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.