Routt County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Healthy · 28.5 | 25,064 people · 56th most distressed in Colorado
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Routt County, CO ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 28.5 — 2822nd 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 56th of 64 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Routt County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.6 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 42
Economic Vitality 67.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 89
Consumer Credit Distress 8.1
Debt in Collections 1
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 4
Credit Card Delinquency 8
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 4
Structural Poverty 2.9
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 1
Disability Rate 1
Transfer Income Dependency 1
Legal Distress 1.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Routt County
Routt County, CO 28.5 Healthy —
Moffat County, CO 42.2 Normal +13.6
Garfield County, CO 38.3 Normal +9.7
Eagle County, CO 34.4 Healthy +5.9
Carbon County, WY 34.0 Healthy +5.5
Grand County, CO 31.7 Healthy +3.2
Rio Blanco County, CO 25.2 Healthy -3.4
Jackson County, CO 25.1 Healthy -3.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Routt County
Madison County, IA 28.5 Healthy -0.0
Colfax County, NE 28.5 Healthy -0.0
Lamoille County, VT 28.6 Healthy +0.1
Powhatan County, VA 28.6 Healthy +0.1
Goodhue County, MN 28.4 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Routt 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 Routt 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 Routt County, Colorado?

    Routt County has a County Distress Index score of 28.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,822nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Routt County?

    The primary driver of distress in Routt County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Routt County compare to neighboring counties?

    Routt County (28.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Moffat County, CO (42.2); Garfield County, CO (38.3); Eagle County, CO (34.4).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Routt County's score of 28.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Routt 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 Routt County?

    Routt County, Colorado has a population of approximately 25,064 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.