Santa Cruz County, Arizona

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.4 | 49,158 people · 1st most distressed in Arizona
American Default Research

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Santa Cruz County, AZ shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.4 — 523rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Arizona, it ranks 1st of 15 counties. It scores higher than all 2 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Santa Cruz County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 74.7 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 74.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Consumer Credit Distress 70.4
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 87
Subprime Credit Population 71
Structural Poverty 69.5
Unemployment Rate 94
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 51
Housing Cost Burden 64.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 87
Homeownership Rate 76
Economic Vitality 50.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 35
House Price Change (YoY) 90

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County, AZ 67.4 Serious —
Pima County, AZ 61.5 Elevated -5.9
Cochise County, AZ 57.6 Elevated -9.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Santa Cruz County
Carroll County, TN 67.4 Serious -0.0
Buckingham County, VA 67.3 Serious -0.1
Assumption Parish, LA 67.5 Serious +0.1
Murray County, GA 67.2 Serious -0.2
Berrien County, GA 67.6 Serious +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Santa Cruz County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz County, Arizona?

    Santa Cruz County has a County Distress Index score of 67.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 523rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Arizona out of 15 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Santa Cruz County?

    The primary driver of distress in Santa Cruz County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 74.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Santa Cruz County compare to neighboring counties?

    Santa Cruz County (67.4) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Pima County, AZ (61.5); Cochise County, AZ (57.6).

  • 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 Serious 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). Santa Cruz County's score of 67.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Santa Cruz County's CDI score?

    Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz County?

    Santa Cruz County, Arizona has a population of approximately 49,158 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.