El Paso County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.0 | 744,215 people · 13th most distressed in Colorado
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El Paso County, CO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.0 — 1525th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Colorado, it ranks 13th of 64 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. El Paso County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 89.5 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 89.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 81
Economic Vitality 65.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 4
House Price Change (YoY) 84
Legal Distress 63.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 64
Consumer Credit Distress 37.5
Debt in Collections 36
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 41
Subprime Credit Population 43
Structural Poverty 18.0
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 7
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. El Paso County
El Paso County, CO 51.0 Elevated —
Pueblo County, CO 67.7 Serious +16.7
Crowley County, CO 54.5 Elevated +3.5
Fremont County, CO 50.0 Elevated -1.0
Lincoln County, CO 44.7 Normal -6.2
Teller County, CO 39.4 Normal -11.6
Douglas County, CO 28.6 Healthy -22.4
Elbert County, CO 26.4 Healthy -24.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. El Paso County
Pierce County, WA 51.2 Elevated +0.2
Chesterfield County, VA 51.3 Elevated +0.4
Suffolk County, MA 50.5 Elevated -0.4
Multnomah County, OR 50.4 Elevated -0.6
Weld County, CO 50.4 Elevated -0.6

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for El Paso County as a CSV file.

Find Help in El Paso County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near El Paso County.

THE COMMUNITY FIRM DBA COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEFENSE PROJECT CEDP- COLORADO SPRINGS
Colorado Springs
303-276-5705 Website
Foreclosure PreventionHomeless/DisplacementRental Help

See all counselors in Colorado →

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 El Paso 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Colorado →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for El Paso County, Colorado?

    El Paso County has a County Distress Index score of 51.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,525th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in El Paso County?

    The primary driver of distress in El Paso County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 89.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does El Paso County compare to neighboring counties?

    El Paso County (51.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Pueblo County, CO (67.7); Crowley County, CO (54.5); Fremont County, CO (50.0).

  • 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). El Paso County's score of 51.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power El Paso County's CDI score?

    El Paso 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 El Paso County?

    El Paso County, Colorado has a population of approximately 744,215 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.