Washington County, Wisconsin
Near the national median for severe rent burden (50%+).
Main Findings
Washington County, Wisconsin ranks 3,049th most distressed in the United States on the County Distress Index. Washington sits near the national median across major distress indicators. Its highest-scoring domain is Debt Burden (housing basis) and its lowest is Safety Net & Buffer.
- 3,049th of 3,144 counties on the County Distress Index — 3 · exceptionally low county distress, more distressed than 3% of U.S. counties; 65th in Wisconsin.
- 19% of renter households pay 50%+ of income on rent (U.S. median 18%). Severe rent burden (50%+) at the 56th percentile nationally. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year (2024).
- Bankruptcy filing rate at 148 — national median 126, ranked at the 59th percentile. Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, F-5A (2025).
- Labor domain score 9 — weight 20.0% of the CDI composite. Source: American Default Research.
- Delinquency domain score 6 — weight 20.0% of the CDI composite. Source: American Default Research.
Washington County has an exceptionally low county distress score. The CDI reading is a county comparison, separate from national ADI bands.
The CDI gives this county an exceptionally low county distress label. The score label is not a national ADI band; it is a county CDI score range. Its highest-scoring domain is Debt Burden (housing basis).
Indicator History
Period-correct raw indicators from the county-history panel. The CDI composite is excluded because it is a current cross-sectional score.
Unemployment rate
Poverty rate
Transfer income share
Subprime credit population
The Indicators Behind Washington County's CDI Score
Every number traces to a public source. Washington County's value shown alongside WI's median and the U.S. median. Full CSV available for download.
| Indicator | Washington | WI median | U.S. median | Pctile | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delinquency — domain score 6 · Rank 3,102 of 3,144 | |||||
| Auto loan delinquency Share of auto loan accounts 60+ days past due | 2% | 3% | 5% | 8th | Urban Institute Debt in America (2025) |
| Credit card delinquency Share of credit card accounts 60+ days past due | 3% | 3% | 5% | 7th | Urban Institute Debt in America (2025) |
| Subprime credit share Share of residents with a credit score below 660 | 10% | 15% | 23% | 2nd | Equifax data retrieved via FRED (2025) |
| Default & Legal — domain score 31 · Rank 2,360 of 3,144 | |||||
| Debt in collections Share of residents with a credit file who have debt in collections | 9% | 14% | 23% | 3rd | Urban Institute Debt in America (2025) |
| Bankruptcy filing rate Personal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents | 148 | 118 | 126 | 59th | Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, F-5A (2025) |
| Debt Burden (housing basis) — domain score 34 · Rank 2,270 of 3,144 | |||||
| Rent-to-income ratio Fair Market Rent (2BR) as share of median household income | 17% | 18% | 21% | 12th | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents (FY2027); U.S. Census Bureau, SAIPE (2024) |
| Severe rent burden (50%+) Share of renter households paying 50%+ of income on rent | 19% | 16% | 18% | 56th | U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year (2024) |
| Labor — domain score 9 · Rank 2,990 of 3,144 | |||||
| Adults 25-54 not working Share of adults aged 25 to 54 without a job, leaving out residents of prisons and other institutions (service members count as working) | 11% | 14% | 21% | 5th | U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year (2024) |
| Unemployment (average of monthly rates) Share of labor force unemployed, averaged over the monthly rates published for September 2025 to August 2026 (no figures published for October 2025) | 3% | 4% | 4% | 13th | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (monthly rates averaged, September 2025 to August 2026; no figures published for October 2025) |
| Safety Net & Buffer — domain score 5 · Rank 3,104 of 3,144 | |||||
| Child poverty rate Share of children under 18 below the federal poverty line | 5% | 13% | 17% | 1st | U.S. Census Bureau, SAIPE (2024) |
| Disability rate Share of residents reporting a disability | 11% | 13% | 16% | 7th | U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year (2024) |
| Poverty rate Share of population below the federal poverty line | 6% | 10% | 13% | 3rd | U.S. Census Bureau, SAIPE (2024) |
| Uninsured rate Share of residents without health insurance coverage | 3% | 5% | 8% | 2nd | U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year (2024) |
Five-Domain Breakdown
The CDI is an equal-weight composite of five family-v1 distress domains. Each domain contributes 20% of the county score.
Methodology
The County Distress Index scores household financial distress from 0 to 100 for all 3,144 U.S. counties. A county's score is the share of U.S. counties it is more distressed than. The index is built from five equal-weighted domains: Delinquency, Default & Legal, Debt Burden, Labor, and Safety Net & Buffer. Each domain is the mean of distress-oriented indicator percentiles; the five domains are averaged, and that average is ranked against every other county to give the score.
Data sources include the Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax consumer credit panel), Equifax data retrieved via FRED (subprime credit share), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Local Area Unemployment Statistics), Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents. Data vintages range from 2024 to 2027 depending on source; full indicator-level vintage detail is in the methodology document.
For Press & Research
Everything you need to cite Washington County data.
Draft wire copy 135-word AP-style article — use freely with attribution
WEST BEND, Wis. — Washington County ranks 3,049th among the nation's most financially distressed counties, according to the County Distress Index released this month by American Default Research.
Washington scores 3 out of 100, which means it is more distressed than 3% of U.S. counties; its score label is exceptionally low county distress. Among 3,144 U.S. counties scored, 3,048 counties rank more distressed. Within Wisconsin, Washington ranks 65th of 72 counties.
The index, which draws on 14 source indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Urban Institute and federal court filings, finds Washington sitting near the national median across major distress indicators, with no single domain emerging as a clear driver.
American Default Research founder Ross Kilburn is available for interview at press@americandefault.org.
Full methodology and county-by-county data are available at americandefault.org/methodology/cdi.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Washington County's CDI score, and what does it mean?
What drives Washington County's distress score?
How does Washington County compare to its neighbors?
How is the County Distress Index calculated?
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