Alamosa County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.7 | 16,655 people · 6th most distressed in Colorado
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Alamosa County, CO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.7 — 1037th 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 Colorado, it ranks 6th of 64 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Alamosa County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 78.1 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 78.1
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 72
Transfer Income Dependency 66
Housing Cost Burden 70.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 52.7
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Uninsured Rate 34
Subprime Credit Population 65
Economic Vitality 43.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 9
Legal Distress 43.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Alamosa County
Alamosa County, CO 58.7 Elevated —
Costilla County, CO 64.7 Elevated +6.0
Rio Grande County, CO 48.0 Normal -10.7
Huerfano County, CO 47.9 Normal -10.8
Saguache County, CO 47.9 Normal -10.8
Conejos County, CO 46.4 Normal -12.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Alamosa County
Blackford County, IN 58.7 Elevated +0.0
Hart County, KY 58.8 Elevated +0.1
Meigs County, OH 58.8 Elevated +0.1
Jefferson Davis Parish, LA 58.6 Elevated -0.1
Cedar County, MO 58.8 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Alamosa County

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 Alamosa 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Alamosa County has a County Distress Index score of 58.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,037th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Alamosa County?

    The primary driver of distress in Alamosa County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 78.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Alamosa County compare to neighboring counties?

    Alamosa County (58.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Costilla County, CO (64.7); Rio Grande County, CO (48.0); Huerfano County, CO (47.9).

  • 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). Alamosa County's score of 58.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Alamosa 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 Alamosa County?

    Alamosa County, Colorado has a population of approximately 16,655 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.