Costilla County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.7 | 3,628 people · 2nd most distressed in Colorado
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Costilla County, CO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.7 — 655th 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 2nd of 64 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Costilla County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 94.4 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 94.4
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 69.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 11
House Price Change (YoY) 84
Housing Cost Burden 62.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 26
Consumer Credit Distress 60.0
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 52
Subprime Credit Population 33
Legal Distress 41.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Costilla County
Costilla County, CO 64.7 Elevated —
Las Animas County, CO 64.6 Elevated -0.1
Alamosa County, CO 58.7 Elevated -6.0
Colfax County, NM 54.3 Elevated -10.4
Taos County, NM 50.6 Elevated -14.1
Huerfano County, CO 47.9 Normal -16.8
Conejos County, CO 46.4 Normal -18.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Costilla County
Cotton County, OK 64.7 Elevated +0.0
Owsley County, KY 64.9 Elevated +0.2
Lake County, OR 64.4 Elevated -0.3
Nicholas County, KY 64.3 Elevated -0.4
Kiowa County, OK 64.3 Elevated -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Costilla 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 Costilla 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 Costilla County, Colorado?

    Costilla County has a County Distress Index score of 64.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 655th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Costilla County?

    The primary driver of distress in Costilla County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 94.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Costilla County compare to neighboring counties?

    Costilla County (64.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Las Animas County, CO (64.6); Alamosa County, CO (58.7); Colfax County, NM (54.3).

  • 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). Costilla County's score of 64.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Costilla 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 Costilla County?

    Costilla County, Colorado has a population of approximately 3,628 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.