Bent County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.5 | 5,681 people · 7th most distressed in Colorado
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Bent County, CO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.5 — 1123rd 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 7th of 64 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bent County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 86.4 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 86.4
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Economic Vitality 67.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 71
House Price Change (YoY) 84
Housing Cost Burden 58.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 82
Legal Distress 48.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48
Consumer Credit Distress 47.9
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Uninsured Rate 51
Subprime Credit Population 79

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bent County
Bent County, CO 57.5 Elevated —
Las Animas County, CO 64.6 Elevated +7.1
Otero County, CO 61.8 Elevated +4.3
Prowers County, CO 53.7 Elevated -3.8
Baca County, CO 45.6 Normal -11.9
Kiowa County, CO 38.4 Normal -19.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bent County
Coleman County, TX 57.5 Elevated +0.0
Schley County, GA 57.6 Elevated +0.1
Alexander County, IL 57.6 Elevated +0.2
Jefferson County, OK 57.7 Elevated +0.3
Tyrrell County, NC 57.1 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bent 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 Bent 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 Bent County, Colorado?

    Bent County has a County Distress Index score of 57.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,123rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bent County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bent County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 86.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Bent County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bent County (57.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Las Animas County, CO (64.6); Otero County, CO (61.8); Prowers County, CO (53.7).

  • 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). Bent County's score of 57.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Bent 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 Bent County?

    Bent County, Colorado has a population of approximately 5,681 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.