Adams County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.3 | 533,365 people · 5th most distressed in Colorado
American Default Research

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Adams County, CO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.3 — 935th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Colorado, it ranks 5th of 64 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Adams County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 92.1 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 92.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 74
Economic Vitality 74.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 91
Legal Distress 71.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 72
Consumer Credit Distress 52.8
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 55
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 65
Structural Poverty 18.7
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 18
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 23
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Adams County
Adams County, CO 60.3 Elevated —
Arapahoe County, CO 52.7 Elevated -7.6
Weld County, CO 50.4 Elevated -9.9
Denver County, CO 49.7 Normal -10.6
Morgan County, CO 48.9 Normal -11.4
Jefferson County, CO 37.7 Normal -22.5
Washington County, CO 34.4 Healthy -25.9
Broomfield County, CO 29.9 Healthy -30.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Adams County
Winnebago County, IL 60.4 Elevated +0.1
Hamilton County, OH 60.1 Elevated -0.2
Alachua County, FL 60.5 Elevated +0.2
Forsyth County, NC 60.1 Elevated -0.2
Hamilton County, TN 60.5 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Adams County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Adams County.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Westminster
303-428-1448 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
OPERATION HOPE-COMMERCE CITY CO
Commerce City
720-900-1644 Website
Homeless/DisplacementPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Colorado →

Find an Attorney

Colorado Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Colorado Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 303-831-8000

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Adams County residents at no cost.

Colorado Legal Services 303-837-1313 (Denver); 1-866-529-6257 (statewide)
Colorado Volunteer Lawyer Resource (CVLR) 303-722-0300
Colorado Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 303-831-8000 (Denver); 1-800-332-6736 (statewide)

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 Colorado →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Adams County, Colorado?

    Adams County has a County Distress Index score of 60.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 935th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Adams County?

    The primary driver of distress in Adams County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 92.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Adams County compare to neighboring counties?

    Adams County (60.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Arapahoe County, CO (52.7); Weld County, CO (50.4); Denver County, CO (49.7).

  • 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). Adams County's score of 60.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Adams 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 Adams County?

    Adams County, Colorado has a population of approximately 533,365 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.