Kitsap County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.9 | 277,658 people · 31st most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Kitsap County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.9 — 2216th 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 Washington, it ranks 31st of 39 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Kitsap County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 83.7 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 83.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 98
Homeownership Rate 70
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Employment & Wages 71.3
Unemployment Rate 82
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 42
Community Vulnerability 29.1
Uninsured Rate 21
Disability Rate 37
Debt & Delinquency 16.3
Debt in Collections 12
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 8
Auto Loan Delinquency 14
Credit Card Delinquency 15
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42
Income & Poverty 9.3
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Kitsap County
Kitsap County, WA 41.9 Normal —
Mason County, WA 49.5 Normal +7.6
Pierce County, WA 47.1 Normal +5.2
Snohomish County, WA 41.8 Normal -0.1
Jefferson County, WA 40.0 Normal -1.9
Island County, WA 39.9 Normal -2.0
King County, WA 31.8 Healthy -10.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Kitsap County
Snohomish County, WA 41.8 Normal -0.1
Capitol Planning Region, CT 41.8 Normal -0.1
Henrico County, VA 42.1 Normal +0.1
El Paso County, CO 42.2 Normal +0.2
Weld County, CO 41.6 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kitsap County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Kitsap County.

AMERICAN FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS
BREMERTON
888-864-8699 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPre-PurchaseReverse Mortgage
COMMUNITY FRAMEWORKS
BREMERTON
360-842-8059 Website
Home Improvement/RehabPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Washington →

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 Kitsap 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 Kitsap County, Washington?

    Kitsap County has a County Distress Index score of 41.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,216th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 31st in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kitsap County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kitsap County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 83.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Kitsap County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kitsap County (41.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mason County, WA (49.5); Pierce County, WA (47.1); Snohomish County, WA (41.8).

  • 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 Kitsap County?

    Kitsap County, Washington has a population of approximately 277,658 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.