Whitman County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.1 | 48,012 people · 18th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Whitman County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.1 — 2120th 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 18th of 39 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 10 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Whitman County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 97.0 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 97.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 99
Structural Poverty 55.0
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 36
Disability Rate 25
Transfer Income Dependency 19
Economic Vitality 51.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 18
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 90
House Price Change (YoY) 80
Consumer Credit Distress 14.6
Debt in Collections 13
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 13
Credit Card Delinquency 15
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 19
Legal Distress 5.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Whitman County
Whitman County, WA 41.1 Normal —
Adams County, WA 56.2 Elevated +15.1
Asotin County, WA 48.4 Normal +7.3
Spokane County, WA 47.7 Normal +6.6
Franklin County, WA 46.0 Normal +4.9
Benewah County, ID 44.7 Normal +3.6
Nez Perce County, ID 40.2 Normal -0.9
Garfield County, WA 36.7 Normal -4.4
Latah County, ID 36.7 Normal -4.4
Columbia County, WA 34.9 Healthy -6.2
Lincoln County, WA 26.4 Healthy -14.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Whitman County
Macoupin County, IL 41.1 Normal -0.0
Henry County, IA 41.1 Normal -0.0
Big Horn County, WY 41.1 Normal +0.0
Goshen County, WY 41.1 Normal +0.1
Kingfisher County, OK 41.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Whitman 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 Whitman 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 Whitman County, Washington?

    Whitman County has a County Distress Index score of 41.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,120th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 18th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Whitman County?

    The primary driver of distress in Whitman County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 97.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Whitman County compare to neighboring counties?

    Whitman County (41.1) can be compared to its 10 neighboring counties: Adams County, WA (56.2); Asotin County, WA (48.4); Spokane County, WA (47.7).

  • 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). Whitman County's score of 41.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Whitman 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 Whitman County?

    Whitman County, Washington has a population of approximately 48,012 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.