Washington County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.5 | 22,560 people · 58th most distressed in Iowa
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Washington County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.5 — 2831st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Iowa, it ranks 58th of 99 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Washington County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 38.1 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 38.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 4
Employment & Wages 35.8
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 61
Community Vulnerability 35.1
Uninsured Rate 42
Disability Rate 28
Debt & Delinquency 25.3
Debt in Collections 15
Medical Debt 55
Student Loan Delinquency 5
Auto Loan Delinquency 13
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 51
Income & Poverty 23.1
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 24

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 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Washington County, IA 31.5 Healthy —
Jefferson County, IA 50.2 Elevated +18.7
Henry County, IA 40.9 Normal +9.4
Keokuk County, IA 36.3 Normal +4.9
Johnson County, IA 34.0 Healthy +2.5
Louisa County, IA 31.0 Healthy -0.5
Iowa County, IA 27.7 Healthy -3.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Whitley County, IN 31.5 Healthy -0.0
Henry County, OH 31.5 Healthy +0.0
Teton County, ID 31.5 Healthy +0.0
Walsh County, ND 31.5 Healthy +0.0
Juab County, UT 31.5 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washington County

Find an Attorney

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

Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Washington County residents at no cost.

Iowa Legal Aid 1-800-532-1275

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 Iowa →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 31.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,831st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 38.1 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 (31.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, IA (50.2); Henry County, IA (40.9); Keokuk County, IA (36.3).

  • 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, Iowa has a population of approximately 22,560 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.