Lake County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.1 | 7,365 people · 29th most distressed in Colorado
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Lake County, CO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.1 — 2061st 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 29th of 64 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lake County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.7 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 41
Economic Vitality 42.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 25
Consumer Credit Distress 32.7
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Uninsured Rate 83
Subprime Credit Population 32
Legal Distress 26.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26
Structural Poverty 19.9
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 42
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lake County
Lake County, CO 42.1 Normal —
Eagle County, CO 34.4 Healthy -7.7
Chaffee County, CO 32.8 Healthy -9.3
Park County, CO 29.7 Healthy -12.4
Summit County, CO 27.9 Healthy -14.2
Pitkin County, CO 27.0 Healthy -15.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lake County
Ozark County, MO 42.1 Normal -0.0
Doniphan County, KS 42.0 Normal -0.0
Greene County, IA 42.1 Normal +0.1
Mellette County, SD 42.0 Normal -0.1
Brown County, NE 42.2 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lake 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 Lake 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 Lake County, Colorado?

    Lake County has a County Distress Index score of 42.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,061st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lake County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lake County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lake County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lake County (42.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Eagle County, CO (34.4); Chaffee County, CO (32.8); Park County, CO (29.7).

  • 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). Lake County's score of 42.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Lake 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 Lake County?

    Lake County, Colorado has a population of approximately 7,365 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.