In Multnomah County, Oregon, benefit checks make up only 16 cents of every dollar of income
In Multnomah County, 16.1% of all the income people there received came from benefit checks. That is lower than in 90% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 50% of U.S. counties.
What drives Multnomah County's score
In Multnomah County, housing costs are the highest-scoring part, at 86.0. Income and the safety net is the lowest part, at 28.8. The typical household earns $90,423 a year (2024), more than in 89% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Multnomah County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Even so, Multnomah County is worse off than most counties on renters paying half their income or more in rent (25.7%, 2020 to 2024) and unemployment rate, average over the latest year (5.1%, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 86.0 of 100
Housing costs
Biggest factorRenters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent25.7% · 2020 to 202488th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income24.9% · fiscal year 202783rd percentile
-
- 55.0 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year5.1% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202683rd percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working16.9% · 2020 to 202426th percentile
-
- 48.0 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector16.7% · August 202525th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people182.7 · 202570th percentile
-
- 32.4 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind4.4% · August 202531st percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind4.9% · August 202546th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score32.3% · second quarter of 202620th percentile
-
- 28.8 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line12.7% · 202446th percentile
- Children below the poverty line12.9% · 202427th percentile
- People with a disability14.3% · 2020 to 202433rd percentile
- People without health insurance5.6% · 2020 to 202426th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$90,423 · 202410th percentile
-
Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Multnomah County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Multnomah County, 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Multnomah County
Oregon
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Multnomah County, benefit checks' share of income has nearly doubled since 1969, reaching 16.1% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in about four times as much as benefit checks
In Multnomah County, Oregon, benefit checks' share of income nearly doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 16.1%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Multnomah County getting SNAP food aid had its largest rise, from 15.4% in 2011 to 17.3% in 2012.
The share of households in Multnomah County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2014 and has since fallen by about a fifth
Low on the chart: 12.2% in 2009. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Multnomah County, Oregon.
How Multnomah County has changed
Multnomah County's population had its largest rise, from 672,526 in 2004 to 727,721 in 2009.
Multnomah County's population rose 42% from 1969 to 2024
High on the chart: 812,660 in 2019. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Multnomah County, Oregon.
The jobs count covers work located in the county; the population count covers residents.
The number of jobs located in Multnomah County rose by about a third to 494,307, the highest on the chart
Biggest rise: 2010 to 2015, reaching 480,109. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Multnomah County, Oregon.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 5.0% | 2025 5.1% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 13.7% | 2024 12.7% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $26,778 | 2024 $90,423 |
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Multnomah County's history
2020
The county's largest recorded population was the 2020 Census count of 815,428, which is also its most recent census. Census Bureau
2021
A debris flow in January 2021 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2021
A thunderstorm in November 2021 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2021
A thunderstorm in November 2021 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2023
Heavy rain in December 2023 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
-
Since 1964
11 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Multnomah County, 4 of them for flooding. FEMA
Multnomah County beside its neighbors
Of the six counties that border Multnomah County, in Oregon and Washington, one scores higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, Multnomah County ranks 5th of the seven; Columbia County is highest, at 26.4%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, OR | 55 | 9.8% | 26.4% |
| Multnomah County, OR | 49 | 12.7% | 16.1% |
| Clark County, WA | 37 | 7.8% | 16.8% |
| Clackamas County, OR | 31 | 8.1% | 14.3% |
| Washington County, OR | 28 | 8.4% | 13.8% |
| Skamania County, WA | 27 | 10.3% | 19.4% |
| Hood River County, OR | 21 | 10.8% | 17.5% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Multnomah County the poorest county in Oregon?
No, Multnomah County's poverty rate was 12.7% in 2024, 22nd highest of 36 in Oregon (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Malheur County, at 18.5%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Multnomah County ranks 26th of 36 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Multnomah County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
-
African American Alliance for Homeownership, Inc.
HUD-approved housing counselor
-
Hacienda Community Development Corporation
HUD-approved housing counselor
-
Legal Aid Services of Oregon
Legal aid
-
HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Download the CSV for Multnomah County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Multnomah County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.