Snohomish County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.0 | 844,761 people · 19th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Snohomish County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.0 — 2124th 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 19th of 39 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Snohomish County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 88.1 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 88.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 76
Economic Vitality 80.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Legal Distress 48.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48
Structural Poverty 18.2
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 12
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 16
Transfer Income Dependency 4
Consumer Credit Distress 16.8
Debt in Collections 12
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 20
Credit Card Delinquency 21
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Snohomish County
Snohomish County, WA 41.0 Normal —
Skagit County, WA 40.0 Normal -1.0
Kitsap County, WA 38.9 Normal -2.1
Island County, WA 34.3 Healthy -6.8
Chelan County, WA 32.3 Healthy -8.8
King County, WA 31.4 Healthy -9.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Snohomish County
Westchester County, NY 41.0 Normal -0.0
Anne Arundel County, MD 40.9 Normal -0.1
Santa Cruz County, CA 41.1 Normal +0.1
Larimer County, CO 40.7 Normal -0.3
St. Johns County, FL 40.7 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Snohomish County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Snohomish County.

PARKVIEW SERVICES
Lynnwood
206-542-6644 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-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 Snohomish 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 Snohomish County, Washington?

    Snohomish County has a County Distress Index score of 41.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,124th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Snohomish County?

    The primary driver of distress in Snohomish County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 88.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Snohomish County compare to neighboring counties?

    Snohomish County (41.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Skagit County, WA (40.0); Kitsap County, WA (38.9); Island County, WA (34.3).

  • 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). Snohomish County's score of 41.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Snohomish 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 Snohomish County?

    Snohomish County, Washington has a population of approximately 844,761 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.