In Snohomish County, Washington, benefit checks make up only 13 cents of every dollar of income
In Snohomish County, 13.1% of all the income people there received came from benefit checks. That is lower than in 95% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 63% of U.S. counties.
What drives Snohomish County's score
In Snohomish County, housing costs are the highest-scoring part, at 87.0. Income and the safety net is the lowest part, at 15.6. The typical household earns $109,146 a year (2024), more than in 96% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Snohomish County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Even so, Snohomish County is worse off than most counties on rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income (28.0%, fiscal year 2027) and unemployment rate, average over the latest year (5.2%, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 87.0 of 100
Housing costs
Biggest factorRenters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent23.6% · 2020 to 202480th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income28.0% · fiscal year 202793rd percentile
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- 60.6 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year5.2% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202683rd percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working18.7% · 2020 to 202437th percentile
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- 29.9 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector13.1% · August 202511th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people123.1 · 202548th percentile
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- 17.2 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind3.7% · August 202521st percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind3.3% · August 202520th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score28.7% · second quarter of 202610th percentile
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- 15.6 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line8.6% · 202412th percentile
- Children below the poverty line9.4% · 202410th percentile
- People with a disability12.4% · 2020 to 202417th percentile
- People without health insurance6.2% · 2020 to 202433rd percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$109,146 · 20243rd percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Snohomish County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Snohomish County, 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Snohomish County
Washington
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
Benefit checks' share of income in Snohomish County rose most sharply from its first year (6.7% in 1969) to 11.7% in 1974.
In Snohomish County, benefit checks' share of income has doubled since 1969, reaching 13.1% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in about five times as much as benefit checks
In Snohomish County, Washington, benefit checks' share of income doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 13.1%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Snohomish County getting SNAP food aid had its largest rise, from 9.3% in 2011 to 10.8% in 2012.
The share of households in Snohomish County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2015 and has since fallen to 8.8%
Low on the chart: 7.0% in 2009. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Snohomish County, Washington.
How Snohomish County has changed
Snohomish County's population had its largest rise, from 368,105 in 1984 to 446,325 in 1989.
Snohomish County's population tripled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 864,113, with no dip in any year shown
Smallest rise: 1969 to 1974, reaching 265,883. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Snohomish County, Washington.
The jobs count covers work located in the county; the population count covers residents.
The number of jobs located in Snohomish County doubled to 299,062, the highest on the chart
Biggest rise: 2010 to 2015, reaching 275,565. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Snohomish County, Washington.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 4.2% | 2025 4.7% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 7.3% | 2024 8.6% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $35,875 | 2024 $109,146 |
The table uses 4.7% for 2025; the score uses 5.2% for the latest year (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026), both from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Snohomish County's history
1861
Created from Island County and King County, January 14, 1861. Wikipedia
1996
Lightning in September 1996 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2007
Heavy rain in December 2007 did $10 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2009
A flood in January 2009 did $6.5 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2014
A debris flow in March 2014 did $60 million in property damage and killed 43 people. NOAA Storm Events Database
2020
The county's largest recorded population was the 2020 Census count of 827,957, which is also its most recent census. Census Bureau
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Since 1964
36 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Snohomish County, 26 of them for flooding. FEMA
Snohomish County beside its neighbors
Snohomish County scores higher than all four counties that border it. For the share of income from benefit checks, Snohomish County ranks 4th of the five; Island County is highest, at 22.7%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snohomish County, WA | 36 | 8.6% | 13.1% |
| Skagit County, WA | 34 | 9.8% | 22.1% |
| Island County, WA | 29 | 8.6% | 22.7% |
| King County, WA | 23 | 8.8% | 7.7% |
| Chelan County, WA | 20 | 10.2% | 21.7% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Snohomish County the poorest county in Washington?
No, Snohomish County's poverty rate was 8.6% in 2024, 35th highest of 39 in Washington (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Whitman County, at 23.0%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Snohomish County ranks 29th of 39 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Snohomish County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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Parkview Services
HUD-approved housing counselor
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Northwest Justice Project (NJP)
Legal aid
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Download the CSV for Snohomish County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Snohomish County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.