La Paz County, Arizona

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.5 | 16,710 people · 12th most distressed in Arizona
American Default Research

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La Paz County, AZ registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.5 — 1314th 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 12th of 15 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. La Paz County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 90.9 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 90.9
Unemployment Rate 91
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 62.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 8
Consumer Credit Distress 60.6
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Uninsured Rate 81
Subprime Credit Population 58
Legal Distress 39.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 40
Housing Cost Burden 20.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 9
Homeownership Rate 69

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. La Paz County
La Paz County, AZ 54.5 Elevated —
Imperial County, CA 69.0 Serious +14.6
San Bernardino County, CA 68.7 Serious +14.3
Mohave County, AZ 64.7 Elevated +10.2
Riverside County, CA 62.8 Elevated +8.4
Maricopa County, AZ 60.7 Elevated +6.3
Yuma County, AZ 59.1 Elevated +4.7
Yavapai County, AZ 47.9 Normal -6.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. La Paz County
Monroe County, KY 54.5 Elevated +0.0
Sabine County, TX 54.5 Elevated +0.0
Banks County, GA 54.4 Elevated -0.0
Osceola County, MI 54.4 Elevated -0.0
Scurry County, TX 54.5 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for La Paz County as a CSV file.

Find Help in La Paz 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 La Paz 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 La Paz County, Arizona?

    La Paz County has a County Distress Index score of 54.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,314th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Arizona out of 15 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in La Paz County?

    The primary driver of distress in La Paz County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 90.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does La Paz County compare to neighboring counties?

    La Paz County (54.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Imperial County, CA (69.0); San Bernardino County, CA (68.7); Mohave County, AZ (64.7).

  • 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). La Paz County's score of 54.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power La Paz County's CDI score?

    La Paz 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 La Paz County?

    La Paz County, Arizona has a population of approximately 16,710 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.