Garfield County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.3 | 62,707 people · 36th most distressed in Colorado
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Garfield County, CO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.3 — 2294th 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 36th of 64 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Garfield County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.2 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 90
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 72
Economic Vitality 51.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 79
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 3
House Price Change (YoY) 34
Consumer Credit Distress 29.6
Debt in Collections 16
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 29
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 39
Legal Distress 16.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17
Structural Poverty 9.1
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 13
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 3
Transfer Income Dependency 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Garfield County
Garfield County, CO 38.3 Normal —
Grand County, UT 53.3 Elevated +15.0
Mesa County, CO 46.1 Normal +7.8
Uintah County, UT 41.3 Normal +3.0
Eagle County, CO 34.4 Healthy -3.9
Routt County, CO 28.5 Healthy -9.7
Pitkin County, CO 27.0 Healthy -11.3
Rio Blanco County, CO 25.2 Healthy -13.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Garfield County
Flathead County, MT 38.3 Normal +0.0
Chisago County, MN 38.2 Normal -0.0
Walworth County, WI 38.2 Normal -0.1
Darke County, OH 38.3 Normal +0.1
Christian County, MO 38.2 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Garfield 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 Garfield 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 Garfield County, Colorado?

    Garfield County has a County Distress Index score of 38.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,294th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Garfield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Garfield County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Garfield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Garfield County (38.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Grand County, UT (53.3); Mesa County, CO (46.1); Uintah County, UT (41.3).

  • 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 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). Garfield County's score of 38.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Garfield 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 Garfield County?

    Garfield County, Colorado has a population of approximately 62,707 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.