San Juan County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.8 | 18,566 people · 38th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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San Juan County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.8 — 2553rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Washington, it ranks 38th of 39 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. San Juan County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 63.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 63.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 30
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Employment & Wages 58.4
Unemployment Rate 74
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 6
Community Vulnerability 26.9
Uninsured Rate 38
Disability Rate 16
Income & Poverty 19.7
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 27
Debt & Delinquency 15.7
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 46
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

How San Juan County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. San Juan County
San Juan County, WA 36.8 Normal —
Clallam County, WA 53.1 Elevated +16.4
Whatcom County, WA 47.4 Normal +10.6
Skagit County, WA 44.6 Normal +7.8
Jefferson County, WA 40.0 Normal +3.2
Island County, WA 39.9 Normal +3.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. San Juan County
Marshall County, IN 36.8 Normal +0.0
Dodge County, NE 36.8 Normal +0.0
Lincoln County, WA 36.8 Normal +0.0
Winona County, MN 36.8 Normal -0.0
Millard County, UT 36.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for San Juan County as a CSV file.

Find Help in San Juan County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near San Juan County.

OPAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
Eastsound
360-376-3191 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-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 San Juan 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 San Juan County, Washington?

    San Juan County has a County Distress Index score of 36.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,553rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Juan County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Juan County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 63.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does San Juan County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Juan County (36.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Clallam County, WA (53.1); Whatcom County, WA (47.4); Skagit County, WA (44.6).

  • 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 San Juan County?

    San Juan County, Washington has a population of approximately 18,566 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.