San Juan County, Washington

County Distress Index: Healthy · 29.0 | 18,566 people · 37th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

San Juan County, WA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 29.0 — 2803rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Washington, it ranks 37th of 39 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. San Juan County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 71.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 71.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 60
Housing Cost Burden 60.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 30
Legal Distress 26.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26
Structural Poverty 23.7
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 27
Disability Rate 16
Transfer Income Dependency 11
Consumer Credit Distress 7.9
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 38
Subprime Credit Population 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Juan County
San Juan County, WA 29.0 Healthy —
Whatcom County, WA 42.0 Normal +13.1
Clallam County, WA 40.5 Normal +11.5
Skagit County, WA 40.0 Normal +11.1
Island County, WA 34.3 Healthy +5.3
Jefferson County, WA 27.2 Healthy -1.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Juan County
Cedar County, IA 28.9 Healthy -0.0
Nicollet County, MN 28.9 Healthy -0.1
Hancock County, IL 28.9 Healthy -0.1
Jefferson County, KS 29.1 Healthy +0.1
Juab County, UT 29.1 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for San Juan County as a CSV file.

Find Help in San Juan County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near San Juan County.

OPAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
Eastsound
360-376-3191 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 San Juan 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for San Juan County, Washington?

    San Juan County has a County Distress Index score of 29.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,803rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Juan County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Juan County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 71.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does San Juan County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Juan County (29.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Whatcom County, WA (42.0); Clallam County, WA (40.5); Skagit County, WA (40.0).

  • 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). San Juan County's score of 29.0 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • What data sources power San Juan County's CDI score?

    San Juan 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 San Juan County?

    San Juan County, Washington has a population of approximately 18,566 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.