Clear Creek County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.5 | 9,147 people · 38th most distressed in Colorado
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Clear Creek County, CO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.5 — 2342nd 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 Colorado, it ranks 38th 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. Clear Creek County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 77.1 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 77.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 70.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 8
Consumer Credit Distress 26.7
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 11
Uninsured Rate 39
Subprime Credit Population 23
Structural Poverty 10.4
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 6
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 16
Disability Rate 10
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Legal Distress 7.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clear Creek County
Clear Creek County, CO 37.5 Normal —
Jefferson County, CO 37.7 Normal +0.3
Gilpin County, CO 35.5 Normal -1.9
Grand County, CO 31.7 Healthy -5.8
Park County, CO 29.7 Healthy -7.8
Summit County, CO 27.9 Healthy -9.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clear Creek County
Osborne County, KS 37.4 Normal -0.1
Dawson County, MT 37.5 Normal +0.1
Tyler County, WV 37.6 Normal +0.1
Hitchcock County, NE 37.4 Normal -0.1
Archer County, TX 37.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Clear Creek County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Clear Creek 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 Clear Creek 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 Clear Creek County, Colorado?

    Clear Creek County has a County Distress Index score of 37.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,342nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clear Creek County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clear Creek County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 77.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Clear Creek County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clear Creek County (37.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, CO (37.7); Gilpin County, CO (35.5); Grand County, CO (31.7).

  • 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 Normal 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). Clear Creek County's score of 37.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Clear Creek County's CDI score?

    Clear Creek 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 Clear Creek County?

    Clear Creek County, Colorado has a population of approximately 9,147 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.