Huerfano County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.9 | 7,055 people · 20th most distressed in Colorado
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Huerfano County, CO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.9 — 1721st 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 20th of 64 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Huerfano County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 90.8 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 90.8
Unemployment Rate 89
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 93
Legal Distress 66.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Economic Vitality 62.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 89
Housing Cost Burden 43.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 7
Homeownership Rate 34
Consumer Credit Distress 31.9
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 13
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 10
Subprime Credit Population 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Huerfano County
Huerfano County, CO 47.9 Normal —
Pueblo County, CO 67.7 Serious +19.8
Costilla County, CO 64.7 Elevated +16.8
Las Animas County, CO 64.6 Elevated +16.7
Alamosa County, CO 58.7 Elevated +10.8
Saguache County, CO 47.9 Normal -0.0
Custer County, CO 26.7 Healthy -21.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Huerfano County
Saguache County, CO 47.9 Normal -0.0
Irion County, TX 47.9 Normal -0.0
Mahnomen County, MN 48.0 Normal +0.1
Elk County, KS 48.0 Normal +0.1
McLean County, KY 48.1 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Huerfano 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 Huerfano 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Huerfano County, Colorado?

    Huerfano County has a County Distress Index score of 47.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,721st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Huerfano County?

    The primary driver of distress in Huerfano County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 90.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Huerfano County compare to neighboring counties?

    Huerfano County (47.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pueblo County, CO (67.7); Costilla County, CO (64.7); Las Animas County, CO (64.6).

  • 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). Huerfano County's score of 47.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Huerfano 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 Huerfano County?

    Huerfano County, Colorado has a population of approximately 7,055 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.