#2,805 Colorado · 2026

Archuleta County, Colorado

Least distressed fifth 2,805th of 3,144 counties nationally · 14,189 residents How this is calculated →
The headline number
12% Archuleta residents
vs.
8% U.S. median

Above the national median for uninsured rate.

Census ACS 5-yr (2023)

Main Findings

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Archuleta County, Colorado ranks 2,805th most distressed in the United States on the County Distress Index. Archuleta sits near the national median across major distress indicators.

Key Findings
  • 2,805th of 3,144 counties on the County Distress Index — Least distressed fifth, 57th in Colorado.
  • 12% of residents lack health insurance (U.S. median 8%). Uninsured rate at the 74th percentile nationally.
  • Rent-to-income ratio at 22% — national median 21%, ranked at the 55th percentile.
  • Labor domain score 21 — weight 20.0% of the CDI composite.
  • Default & Legal domain score 14 — weight 20.0% of the CDI composite.
County Distress Index cluster map. Archuleta County, Colorado and its neighbors colored by distress fifth.
Archuleta and its 7 geographic neighbors, graded by County Distress Index score. Archuleta County ranks 2,805th of 3,144. American Default Research
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"Archuleta County ranks in the least distressed fifth of U.S. counties. The CDI reading is a county comparison, separate from national ADI bands."

— Ross Kilburn, Founder, American Default Research
Analyst quote — for feature use 25 words

"The CDI places this county in the least distressed fifth nationally. The rank is a comparative geography measure across counties, not a national ADI band."

— Ross Kilburn, Founder, American Default Research

The Indicators Behind Archuleta County's CDI Score

Every number traces to a public source. Archuleta County's value shown alongside CO's median and the U.S. median. Full CSV available for download.

How to read the table. A domain score is a 0–100 composite of the indicators in that domain, where 50 = U.S. county median and higher = more distressed. Percentile is Archuleta County's national rank among all 3,144 U.S. counties for that indicator, always oriented so higher = more distressed.
Indicator Archuleta CO median U.S. median Pctile Source
Delinquency — domain score 11 · Rank 2,967 of 3,144
Auto loan delinquency Share of auto loan accounts 60+ days past due 1% 3% 5% 5th Urban Institute (2024)
Credit card delinquency Share of credit card accounts 60+ days past due 2% 4% 5% 6th Urban Institute (2024)
Subprime credit share Share of residents with a credit score below 660 17% 19% 23% 23rd Urban Institute (2024)
Default & Legal — domain score 14 · Rank 2,935 of 3,144
Debt in collections Share of residents with a credit file who have debt in collections 12% 15% 23% 9th Urban Institute (2024)
Bankruptcy filing rate Personal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents 70 113 126 19th US Courts F-5A (2025)
Debt Burden (housing basis) — domain score 39 · Rank 2,027 of 3,144
Rent-to-income ratio Fair Market Rent (2BR) as share of median household income 22% 23% 21% 55th HUD FMR × Census ACS (2024)
Severe rent burden (50%+) Share of renter households paying 50%+ of income on rent 13% 20% 18% 24th Census ACS 5-yr (2023)
Labor — domain score 21 · Rank 2,449 of 3,144
Unemployment Share of labor force unemployed 3% 3% 4% 21st BLS LAUS (Dec 2025)
Safety Net & Buffer — domain score 43 · Rank 1,858 of 3,144
Child poverty rate Share of children under 18 below the federal poverty line 18% 16% 18% 51st Census SAIPE (2023)
Disability rate Share of residents reporting a disability 18% 12% 16% 67th Census ACS 5-yr (2023)
Poverty rate Share of population below the federal poverty line 11% 11% 14% 31st Census SAIPE (2023)
Transfer-income dependency Share of personal income from government transfers 26% 22% 27% 46th BEA Regional Personal Income (2023)
Uninsured rate Share of residents without health insurance coverage 12% 8% 8% 74th Census ACS 5-yr (2023)
Data compiled April 2026 from Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax 2024 panel), U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-yr 2023, SAIPE 2023, Business Formation Statistics 2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS Dec 2025, QCEW 2024), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings 2025), and HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2024).

Five-Domain Breakdown

The CDI is an equal-weight composite of five family-v1 distress domains. Each domain contributes 20% of the county score.

Safety Net & Buffer Primary driver 43
Weight 20% · Rank 1,858 of 3,144
Debt Burden (housing basis) 39
Weight 20% · Rank 2,027 of 3,144
Labor 21
Weight 20% · Rank 2,449 of 3,144
Default & Legal 14
Weight 20% · Rank 2,935 of 3,144
Delinquency 11
Weight 20% · Rank 2,967 of 3,144

Methodology

The County Distress Index is a 0–100 composite score of household financial distress, computed for all 3,144 U.S. counties. Higher scores indicate greater distress. The index is built from five equal-weighted domains: Delinquency, Default & Legal, Debt Burden, Labor, and Safety Net & Buffer. Each domain is the mean of distress-oriented indicator percentiles; the CDI score is the equal-weight mean of those domain scores.

Data sources include the Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax consumer credit panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, Business Formation Statistics), Bureau of Labor Statistics (Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Data vintages range from 2023 to 2025 depending on source; full indicator-level vintage detail is in the methodology document.

For Press & Research

Everything you need to cite Archuleta County data — in under 60 seconds.

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Press contact: Ross Kilburn · press@americandefault.org · (307) 264-2992 · same-day response, 9am–6pm ET
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PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colo. — Archuleta County ranks 2,805th among the nation's most financially distressed counties, according to the County Distress Index released this month by American Default Research.

The composite score of 26 out of 100 places Archuleta in the least distressed fifth. Among 3,144 U.S. counties scored, 2,804 counties rank more distressed. Within Colorado, Archuleta ranks 57th of 64 counties.

The index, which draws on 16 source indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Urban Institute and federal court filings, finds Archuleta sitting near the national median across major distress indicators, with no single domain emerging as a clear driver.

"Archuleta County ranks in the least distressed fifth of U.S. counties. The CDI reading is a county comparison, separate from national ADI bands," said Ross Kilburn, founder of American Default Research.

Full methodology and county-by-county data are available at americandefault.org/methodology/cdi.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Archuleta County's CDI score, and what does it mean?

Archuleta County scores 26 out of 100 on the County Distress Index, placing it in the least distressed fifth. It ranks 2,805th of 3,144 U.S. counties and 57th of 64 Colorado counties. Higher county scores indicate more distress.

What drives Archuleta County's distress score?

The highest-scoring domain is Safety Net & Buffer, at a domain score of 43. Uninsured rate ranks at the 74th percentile nationally.

How does Archuleta County compare to its neighbors?

Archuleta County's neighbors span 4 CDI distress fifths. Highest-distress neighbor: San Juan County, NM (70.70, Most distressed fifth). Lowest: Hinsdale County (28.69, Least distressed fifth).

How is the County Distress Index calculated?

The CDI is a 0–100 composite of 16 source indicators across five equal-weighted domains: Delinquency, Default & Legal, Debt Burden, Labor, and Safety Net & Buffer. Data comes from Urban Institute, Census Bureau, BLS, U.S. Courts, HUD, and related public sources. Full methodology →
Ross Kilburn
Written by

Ross Kilburn, Founder

Founder · American Default Research · Seattle, Washington

Two decades working directly with financially distressed American households — from property preservation in 2003, to negotiating over 1,000 short sales during the Great Recession, to foreclosure defense marketing today. Author, The Ark Law Group Complete Guide to Short Sales (Auroch Press, 2013). Founded American Default Research in 2026.

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