Apache County, Arizona

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.5 | 65,036 people · 5th most distressed in Arizona
American Default Research

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Apache County, AZ registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.5 — 670th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Arizona, it ranks 5th of 15 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Apache County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 91.7 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 91.7
Debt in Collections 97
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 99
Credit Card Delinquency 80
Uninsured Rate 97
Subprime Credit Population 99
Structural Poverty 87.9
Unemployment Rate 99
Poverty Rate 99
Income vs. State Median 99
Child Poverty Rate 96
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 99
Economic Vitality 74.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 99
House Price Change (YoY) 87
Housing Cost Burden 7.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 4
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 7
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 1
Homeownership Rate 23
Legal Distress 4.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Apache County
Apache County, AZ 64.5 Elevated —
McKinley County, NM 72.7 Serious +8.1
Cibola County, NM 72.1 Serious +7.5
Navajo County, AZ 65.2 Serious +0.6
San Juan County, NM 63.7 Elevated -0.8
Montezuma County, CO 53.6 Elevated -11.0
San Juan County, UT 51.9 Elevated -12.6
Graham County, AZ 50.0 Normal -14.6
Greenlee County, AZ 41.7 Normal -22.8
Catron County, NM 41.2 Normal -23.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Apache County
Mercer County, WV 64.6 Elevated +0.1
Jackson County, MS 64.6 Elevated +0.1
Payne County, OK 64.6 Elevated +0.1
Mohave County, AZ 64.7 Elevated +0.1
Kershaw County, SC 64.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Apache County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Arizona — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Arizona — Lawyer Referral Service 602-252-4804

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Apache County residents at no cost.

Community Legal Services (CLS) — Central and Northern Arizona 602-258-3434
Southern Arizona Legal Aid (SALA) 520-623-9465
DNA People's Legal Services 928-871-4151
Three Rivers Legal Services 602-258-3434
Community Legal Services, Inc. (800) 852-9075

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Apache County, Arizona?

    Apache County has a County Distress Index score of 64.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 670th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Arizona out of 15 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Apache County?

    The primary driver of distress in Apache County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 91.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Apache County compare to neighboring counties?

    Apache County (64.5) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: McKinley County, NM (72.7); Cibola County, NM (72.1); Navajo County, AZ (65.2).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Apache County's score of 64.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Apache County's CDI score?

    Apache County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Apache County?

    Apache County, Arizona has a population of approximately 65,036 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.