Mohave County, Arizona

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.7 | 223,682 people · 4th most distressed in Arizona
American Default Research

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Mohave County, AZ registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.7 — 664th 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 4th of 15 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mohave County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 78.4 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 78.4
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 90
Transfer Income Dependency 86
Economic Vitality 77.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 81
Housing Cost Burden 65.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 54
Legal Distress 61.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Consumer Credit Distress 58.6
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 51

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mohave County
Mohave County, AZ 64.7 Elevated —
Clark County, NV 76.5 Serious +11.8
San Bernardino County, CA 68.7 Serious +4.0
Coconino County, AZ 63.2 Elevated -1.4
La Paz County, AZ 54.5 Elevated -10.2
Yavapai County, AZ 47.9 Normal -16.8
Lincoln County, NV 46.2 Normal -18.4
Washington County, UT 45.7 Normal -19.0
Kane County, UT 33.7 Healthy -30.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mohave County
Kershaw County, SC 64.7 Elevated +0.0
Gila County, AZ 64.7 Elevated +0.0
Bay County, FL 64.7 Elevated +0.0
Payne County, OK 64.6 Elevated -0.0
Jackson County, MS 64.6 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mohave County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Mohave County.

WESTERN ARIZONA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (WACOG) - KINGMAN BRANCH OFFICE
KINGMAN
928-217-7195 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase

See all counselors in Arizona →

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 Mohave 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Arizona →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Mohave County has a County Distress Index score of 64.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 664th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Arizona out of 15 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mohave County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mohave County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 78.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Mohave County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mohave County (64.7) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Clark County, NV (76.5); San Bernardino County, CA (68.7); Coconino County, AZ (63.2).

  • 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). Mohave County's score of 64.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Mohave 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 Mohave County?

    Mohave County, Arizona has a population of approximately 223,682 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.