Chelan County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.8 | 79,997 people · 19th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Chelan County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.8 — 1762nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within Washington, it ranks 19th of 39 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. Chelan County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 70.0 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 70.0
Uninsured Rate 73
Disability Rate 67
Employment & Wages 65.8
Unemployment Rate 85
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 30
Housing Cost Burden 64.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Income & Poverty 28.5
Poverty Rate 22
Income vs. State Median 39
Child Poverty Rate 25
Debt & Delinquency 10.1
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 9
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Chelan County
Chelan County, WA 47.8 Normal —
Okanogan County, WA 59.8 Elevated +12.0
Douglas County, WA 54.2 Elevated +6.4
Kittitas County, WA 50.7 Elevated +2.9
Skagit County, WA 44.6 Normal -3.2
Snohomish County, WA 41.8 Normal -6.0
King County, WA 31.8 Healthy -16.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Chelan County
Worcester County, MD 47.8 Normal -0.1
Hancock County, ME 47.8 Normal -0.1
Lenawee County, MI 47.7 Normal -0.1
Lamar County, MS 47.7 Normal -0.1
Pulaski County, MO 47.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chelan County

Find an Attorney

Washington State Bar Association — Find Legal Help offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Washington State Bar Association — Find Legal Help 1-800-945-9722

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Chelan County residents at no cost.

Northwest Justice Project (NJP) 1-888-201-1014
Columbia Legal Services 1-206-464-1122

Self-Help Resources

Washington Law Help — Foreclosure Free legal information and self-help resources for low-income Washington residents, including foreclosure guides, tenant rights in foreclosure, and links to legal aid.
Washington Courts Self-Help Resources Washington Courts website with forms, instructions, and resources for self-represented litigants including those involved in foreclosure-related proceedings.
DFI Foreclosure Assistance and Information Department of Financial Institutions page with foreclosure prevention resources, consumer alerts about foreclosure rescue scams, and links to assistance programs.

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 Washington →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Chelan County has a County Distress Index score of 47.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,762nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chelan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chelan County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 70.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Chelan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chelan County (47.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Okanogan County, WA (59.8); Douglas County, WA (54.2); Kittitas County, WA (50.7).

  • 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 Chelan County?

    Chelan County, Washington has a population of approximately 79,997 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.