Whatcom County, Washington

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.4 | 231,919 people · 20th most distressed in Washington
American Default Research

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Whatcom County, WA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.4 — 1802nd 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 20th of 39 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Whatcom County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 94.1 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 94.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 96
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Employment & Wages 65.2
Unemployment Rate 85
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 23
Income & Poverty 33.5
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 21
Community Vulnerability 26.9
Uninsured Rate 25
Disability Rate 29
Debt & Delinquency 17.1
Debt in Collections 9
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 17
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Whatcom County compares to its 3 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Whatcom County
Whatcom County, WA 47.4 Normal —
Okanogan County, WA 59.8 Elevated +12.5
Skagit County, WA 44.6 Normal -2.8
San Juan County, WA 36.8 Normal -10.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Whatcom County
Washington County, UT 47.3 Normal -0.1
Cascade County, MT 47.5 Normal +0.1
Adams County, IL 47.5 Normal +0.1
Ashland County, OH 47.5 Normal +0.2
Tippecanoe County, IN 47.6 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Whatcom County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Whatcom County.

KULSHAN COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
Bellingham
360-671-5600-1 Website
Pre-Purchase

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 Whatcom 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 Whatcom County, Washington?

    Whatcom County has a County Distress Index score of 47.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,802nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Washington out of 39 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Whatcom County?

    The primary driver of distress in Whatcom County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 94.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Whatcom County compare to neighboring counties?

    Whatcom County (47.4) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Okanogan County, WA (59.8); Skagit County, WA (44.6); San Juan County, WA (36.8).

  • 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 Whatcom County?

    Whatcom County, Washington has a population of approximately 231,919 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.