Washington County, Idaho

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.6 | 11,425 people · 3rd most distressed in Idaho
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Washington County, ID registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.6 — 1028th 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 Idaho, it ranks 3rd of 44 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Washington County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 70.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 70.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Community Vulnerability 62.0
Uninsured Rate 63
Disability Rate 61
Employment & Wages 60.1
Unemployment Rate 69
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 26
Income & Poverty 59.4
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 84
Child Poverty Rate 45
Debt & Delinquency 36.0
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 35
Student Loan Delinquency 24
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 12
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39

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 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Washington County, ID 57.6 Elevated —
Malheur County, OR 64.0 Elevated +6.4
Baker County, OR 55.2 Elevated -2.4
Gem County, ID 45.1 Normal -12.5
Adams County, ID 44.8 Normal -12.7
Payette County, ID 42.3 Normal -15.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Accomack County, VA 57.6 Elevated 0.0
Russell County, VA 57.6 Elevated 0.0
Titus County, TX 57.6 Elevated +0.1
Franklin County, AR 57.5 Elevated -0.1
Grant Parish, LA 57.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washington County

Find an Attorney

Idaho State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Idaho State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 208-334-4500

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Washington County residents at no cost.

Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc. 208-336-8980
Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program 208-334-4500

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 57.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,028th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Idaho out of 44 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 70.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Washington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Washington County (57.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Malheur County, OR (64.0); Baker County, OR (55.2); Gem County, ID (45.1).

  • 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, Idaho has a population of approximately 11,425 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.