Thurston County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.8 | 299,003 people · 11th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Thurston County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.8 — 1860th 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 11th 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. Thurston County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 91.2 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 91.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 78
Economic Vitality 75.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 67
Legal Distress 59.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 59
Structural Poverty 28.6
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 44
Transfer Income Dependency 22
Consumer Credit Distress 21.6
Debt in Collections 21
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Uninsured Rate 18
Subprime Credit Population 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Thurston County
Thurston County, WA 45.8 Normal —
Pierce County, WA 51.2 Elevated +5.4
Grays Harbor County, WA 50.8 Elevated +5.1
Lewis County, WA 48.5 Normal +2.7
Mason County, WA 38.4 Normal -7.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Thurston County
Middlesex County, NJ 46.0 Normal +0.2
York County, PA 46.1 Normal +0.3
Harford County, MD 45.5 Normal -0.3
Erie County, NY 46.4 Normal +0.7
Weber County, UT 44.9 Normal -0.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Thurston 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 Thurston 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 Thurston County, Washington?

    Thurston County has a County Distress Index score of 45.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,860th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Thurston County?

    The primary driver of distress in Thurston County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 91.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Thurston County compare to neighboring counties?

    Thurston County (45.8) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Pierce County, WA (51.2); Grays Harbor County, WA (50.8); 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 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). Thurston County's score of 45.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Thurston 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 Thurston County?

    Thurston County, Washington has a population of approximately 299,003 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.