Skamania County, Washington

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.7 | 12,640 people · 33rd most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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

Skamania County, WA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.7 — 2664th 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 33rd of 39 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Skamania County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 79.8 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 79.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 83
Housing Cost Burden 55.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 16
Legal Distress 33.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Structural Poverty 33.0
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 38
Disability Rate 31
Transfer Income Dependency 18
Consumer Credit Distress 10.3
Debt in Collections 15
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Skamania County
Skamania County, WA 31.7 Healthy —
Yakima County, WA 58.8 Elevated +27.1
Multnomah County, OR 50.4 Elevated +18.7
Lewis County, WA 48.5 Normal +16.8
Cowlitz County, WA 46.9 Normal +15.2
Clark County, WA 43.1 Normal +11.4
Klickitat County, WA 38.1 Normal +6.5
Hood River County, OR 32.5 Healthy +0.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Skamania County
Mono County, CA 31.6 Healthy -0.0
Grand County, CO 31.7 Healthy +0.0
Ramsey County, ND 31.6 Healthy -0.1
Montour County, PA 31.8 Healthy +0.1
Kandiyohi County, MN 31.9 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Skamania 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 Skamania 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 Skamania County, Washington?

    Skamania County has a County Distress Index score of 31.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,664th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 33rd in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Skamania County?

    The primary driver of distress in Skamania County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 79.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Skamania County compare to neighboring counties?

    Skamania County (31.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Yakima County, WA (58.8); Multnomah County, OR (50.4); 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 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). Skamania County's score of 31.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Skamania 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 Skamania County?

    Skamania County, Washington has a population of approximately 12,640 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.