Washington County, New York

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.8 | 60,047 people · 28th most distressed in New York
American Default Research

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

Washington County, NY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.8 — 1688th 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 New York, it ranks 28th of 62 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Washington County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 68.1 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 68.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 38
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Employment & Wages 63.6
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 59
Business Formation Rate 87
Debt & Delinquency 46.2
Debt in Collections 39
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Income & Poverty 37.0
Poverty Rate 33
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 38
Community Vulnerability 29.1
Uninsured Rate 15
Disability Rate 43

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 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Washington County, NY 48.8 Normal —
Warren County, NY 48.4 Normal -0.4
Essex County, NY 45.4 Normal -3.4
Bennington County, VT 45.3 Normal -3.5
Rutland County, VT 44.9 Normal -3.9
Rensselaer County, NY 43.8 Normal -5.0
Addison County, VT 31.6 Healthy -17.2
Saratoga County, NY 29.7 Healthy -19.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Livingston Parish, LA 48.8 Normal +0.0
Hampshire County, MA 48.8 Normal -0.0
Suffolk city, VA 48.8 Normal -0.0
Marshall County, AL 48.8 Normal -0.0
St. Joseph County, MI 49.0 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washington County

Find an Attorney

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

New York State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-342-3661

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Washington County residents at no cost.

Legal Services NYC 1-917-661-4500
Legal Aid Society 1-212-577-3300
Empire Justice Center 1-585-454-4060
Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York 1-800-462-2922
Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc. (877) 777-6152
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (585) 325-2520
Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (877) 574-8529
Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee, Inc. (631) 232-2400
Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. (716) 847-0650

Self-Help Resources

NYCourts.gov Foreclosure Help Official court system page with information about the foreclosure process, settlement conferences, and available resources. Includes court forms and instructions for pro se litigants.
LawHelp NY — Foreclosure Resources Comprehensive self-help legal information portal for New York residents. Includes foreclosure guides, court form generators, and legal services finder organized by county.

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 New York →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Washington County, New York?

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 48.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,688th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in New York out of 62 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 68.1 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 (48.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Warren County, NY (48.4); Essex County, NY (45.4); Bennington County, VT (45.3).

  • 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, New York has a population of approximately 60,047 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.