Cochise County, Arizona

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.6 | 124,640 people · 11th most distressed in Arizona
American Default Research

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Cochise County, AZ registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.6 — 1107th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Arizona, it ranks 11th of 15 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cochise County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 76.9 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 76.9
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Economic Vitality 64.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 52
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 57
Housing Cost Burden 58.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 65
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 69
Legal Distress 53.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 53
Consumer Credit Distress 51.3
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 46

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cochise County
Cochise County, AZ 57.6 Elevated —
Santa Cruz County, AZ 67.4 Serious +9.8
Pima County, AZ 61.5 Elevated +3.9
Hidalgo County, NM 55.5 Elevated -2.1
Graham County, AZ 50.0 Normal -7.7
Greenlee County, AZ 41.7 Normal -15.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cochise County
DeKalb County, AL 57.7 Elevated +0.0
Marshall County, AL 57.6 Elevated -0.0
Sutter County, CA 57.6 Elevated -0.0
Caldwell County, NC 57.6 Elevated -0.1
McCracken County, KY 57.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cochise 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 Cochise 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 Cochise County, Arizona?

    Cochise County has a County Distress Index score of 57.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,107th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Arizona out of 15 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cochise County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cochise County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 76.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Cochise County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cochise County (57.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Santa Cruz County, AZ (67.4); Pima County, AZ (61.5); Hidalgo County, NM (55.5).

  • 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). Cochise County's score of 57.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cochise 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 Cochise County?

    Cochise County, Arizona has a population of approximately 124,640 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.