Washington County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.2 | 25,602 people · 29th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Washington County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.2 — 432nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within Florida, it ranks 29th of 67 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Washington County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 83.0 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 83.0
Uninsured Rate 86
Disability Rate 80
Income & Poverty 79.7
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 79
Debt & Delinquency 64.1
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 69
Student Loan Delinquency 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24
Employment & Wages 54.9
Unemployment Rate 89
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 11
Housing Cost Burden 49.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 36
Homeownership Rate 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Washington County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Washington County, FL 66.2 Serious —
Jackson County, FL 73.0 Serious +6.8
Holmes County, FL 66.4 Serious +0.2
Bay County, FL 63.2 Elevated -2.9
Walton County, FL 48.6 Normal -17.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Allen Parish, LA 66.2 Serious +0.0
Boone County, WV 66.2 Serious +0.0
Butler County, AL 66.2 Serious +0.0
Stone County, AR 66.1 Serious -0.0
Chickasaw County, MS 66.2 Serious +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washington County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Washington County.

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA/FLORIDA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION - WASHINGTON COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
Chipley
850-638-6265 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Florida →

Find an Attorney

The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-342-8011

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Washington County residents at no cost.

Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS) 1-239-334-4554
Legal Services of Greater Miami (LSGMI) 1-305-576-0080
Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida 1-954-736-2400
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida (CLSMF) 1-800-405-1417
Bay Area Legal Services 1-800-625-2257
Legal Services of North Florida 1-850-385-9007
Three Rivers Legal Services 1-866-256-8091

Self-Help Resources

The Florida Bar — Foreclosure Crisis Help for Consumers Official Florida Bar resource page for homeowners facing foreclosure, including information on finding an attorney, legal aid referrals, and understanding the foreclosure process.
Florida Courts — Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Cases Florida Supreme Court page with information on residential mortgage foreclosure cases, including links to administrative orders, mediation resources, and the Managed Mediation program.
Florida AG — Resources Available to Distressed Homeowners Florida Attorney General's office page with resources for distressed homeowners, including information on mortgage fraud, foreclosure rescue scams, and how to file complaints.
Florida LawHelp Statewide legal aid directory connecting Floridians with free legal information and local legal aid providers for foreclosure prevention and other civil legal needs.

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 Florida →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Washington County, Florida?

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 66.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 432nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 83.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Washington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Washington County (66.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Jackson County, FL (73.0); Holmes County, FL (66.4); Bay County, FL (63.2).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Washington County?

    Washington County, Florida has a population of approximately 25,602 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.