Jefferson County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.3 | 25,454 people · 13th most distressed in Oregon
American Default Research

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Jefferson County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.3 — 810th 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 Oregon, it ranks 13th of 36 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Jefferson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 68.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 68.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 91
Homeownership Rate 65
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Employment & Wages 64.6
Unemployment Rate 89
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 44
Community Vulnerability 63.7
Uninsured Rate 60
Disability Rate 68
Income & Poverty 53.5
Poverty Rate 53
Income vs. State Median 51
Child Poverty Rate 57
Debt & Delinquency 51.8
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 38
Student Loan Delinquency 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 50
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Jefferson County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, OR 60.3 Elevated —
Wheeler County, OR 62.5 Elevated +2.2
Wasco County, OR 61.6 Elevated +1.2
Linn County, OR 61.0 Elevated +0.6
Marion County, OR 58.2 Elevated -2.2
Crook County, OR 47.9 Normal -12.4
Deschutes County, OR 39.5 Normal -20.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Jefferson County
Wyoming County, WV 60.3 Elevated 0.0
Erath County, TX 60.4 Elevated +0.0
Rio Grande County, CO 60.4 Elevated +0.0
Wright County, MO 60.3 Elevated -0.1
Alleghany County, NC 60.5 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Jefferson County.

NEIGHBORIMPACT - MADRAS HOUSING CENTER
MADRAS
541-323-6567 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Oregon →

Find an Attorney

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

Oregon State Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 503-684-3763 (Portland); 1-800-452-7636 (statewide)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Jefferson County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Services of Oregon 503-684-1032 (Portland); 1-800-684-1032 (statewide hotline)
Oregon Law Center 541-672-3429 (Roseburg); 541-485-1017 (Eugene)
Willamette Law Online — Oregon Foreclosure Avoidance Project 503-370-6051

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 Oregon →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Jefferson County, Oregon?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 60.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 810th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 68.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (60.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wheeler County, OR (62.5); Wasco County, OR (61.6); Linn County, OR (61.0).

  • 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Oregon has a population of approximately 25,454 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.