Yuma County, Arizona

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.1 | 213,221 people · 10th most distressed in Arizona
American Default Research

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Yuma County, AZ registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.1 — 1009th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Arizona, it ranks 10th of 15 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Yuma County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 78.2 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 78.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 82
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 52
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Housing Cost Burden 63.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 71
Structural Poverty 60.1
Unemployment Rate 99
Poverty Rate 67
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 27
Transfer Income Dependency 57
Legal Distress 57.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 57
Consumer Credit Distress 53.4
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Uninsured Rate 87
Subprime Credit Population 62

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Yuma County
Yuma County, AZ 59.1 Elevated —
Imperial County, CA 69.0 Serious +9.9
Pima County, AZ 61.5 Elevated +2.4
Maricopa County, AZ 60.7 Elevated +1.6
La Paz County, AZ 54.5 Elevated -4.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Yuma County
Clark County, IN 59.1 Elevated 0.0
Lafourche Parish, LA 59.1 Elevated -0.0
Catoosa County, GA 59.1 Elevated -0.0
Jefferson County, TN 59.0 Elevated -0.1
Chemung County, NY 58.9 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Yuma County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Yuma County.

WESTERN ARIZONA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (WACOG)
Yuma
928-782-1886
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-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 Yuma 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 Yuma County, Arizona?

    Yuma County has a County Distress Index score of 59.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,009th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Arizona out of 15 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Yuma County?

    The primary driver of distress in Yuma County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 78.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Yuma County compare to neighboring counties?

    Yuma County (59.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Imperial County, CA (69.0); Pima County, AZ (61.5); Maricopa County, AZ (60.7).

  • 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). Yuma County's score of 59.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Yuma 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 Yuma County?

    Yuma County, Arizona has a population of approximately 213,221 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.