Washington County, Vermont

County Distress Index: Healthy · 28.9 | 60,142 people · 14th most distressed in Vermont
American Default Research

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Washington County, VT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 28.9 — 2927th 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 Vermont, it ranks 14th of 14 counties. It scores lower than all 5 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 70.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 70.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 65
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 57
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Employment & Wages 32.5
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 29
Community Vulnerability 18.3
Uninsured Rate 2
Disability Rate 35
Income & Poverty 15.2
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 30
Child Poverty Rate 5
Debt & Delinquency 7.6
Debt in Collections 13
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 4
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 10
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 6

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, VT 28.9 Healthy —
Caledonia County, VT 43.5 Normal +14.7
Orange County, VT 37.6 Normal +8.7
Lamoille County, VT 33.0 Healthy +4.1
Addison County, VT 31.6 Healthy +2.7
Chittenden County, VT 30.5 Healthy +1.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Hancock County, IN 28.8 Healthy -0.1
Fauquier County, VA 28.9 Healthy +0.1
Hendricks County, IN 29.1 Healthy +0.2
Clinton County, MI 29.1 Healthy +0.2
Dodge County, WI 28.5 Healthy -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washington County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Washington County.

DOWNSTREET HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, INC.
Barre
802-477-1331 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Vermont →

Find an Attorney

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

Vermont Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 802-223-2020

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Washington County residents at no cost.

Vermont Legal Aid 1-800-889-2047
Legal Services Vermont (800) 889-2047

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 28.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,927th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Vermont out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 70.7 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 (28.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Caledonia County, VT (43.5); Orange County, VT (37.6); Lamoille County, VT (33.0).

  • 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 Washington County?

    Washington County, Vermont has a population of approximately 60,142 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.