Jefferson County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.0 | 33,714 people · 35th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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

Jefferson County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.0 — 2347th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Washington, it ranks 35th of 39 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Jefferson County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 64.7 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 64.7
Unemployment Rate 93
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 30
Community Vulnerability 44.9
Uninsured Rate 9
Disability Rate 81
Housing Cost Burden 44.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Income & Poverty 34.1
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 30
Child Poverty Rate 43
Debt & Delinquency 11.6
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 9
Auto Loan Delinquency 1
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42

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, WA 40.0 Normal —
Grays Harbor County, WA 59.4 Elevated +19.4
Clallam County, WA 53.1 Elevated +13.1
Mason County, WA 49.5 Normal +9.5
Kitsap County, WA 41.9 Normal +1.9
Island County, WA 39.9 Normal -0.1
San Juan County, WA 36.8 Normal -3.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Jefferson County
Fulton County, PA 40.0 Normal 0.0
Fountain County, IN 40.0 Normal -0.0
Sevier County, UT 40.0 Normal +0.0
Pulaski County, IN 40.1 Normal +0.0
Rockbridge County, VA 40.1 Normal +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 40.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,347th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 64.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (40.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Grays Harbor County, WA (59.4); Clallam County, WA (53.1); Mason County, WA (49.5).

  • 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, Washington has a population of approximately 33,714 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.