San Juan County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.3 | 802 people · 31st most distressed in Colorado
American Default Research

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

San Juan County, CO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.3 — 2108th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Colorado, it ranks 31st of 64 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. San Juan County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 54.4 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 54.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 50.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 43
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 95
Legal Distress 49.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 49
Consumer Credit Distress 36.3
Debt in Collections 21
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 70
Structural Poverty 30.7
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 40
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Juan County
San Juan County, CO 41.3 Normal —
Montezuma County, CO 53.6 Elevated +12.3
La Plata County, CO 36.4 Normal -4.8
Dolores County, CO 33.7 Healthy -7.5
Ouray County, CO 30.4 Healthy -10.8
San Miguel County, CO 29.6 Healthy -11.6
Hinsdale County, CO 28.1 Healthy -13.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Juan County
Monona County, IA 41.3 Normal 0.0
Aleutians West Census Area, AK 41.2 Normal -0.0
Borden County, TX 41.2 Normal -0.0
Pawnee County, KS 41.3 Normal +0.0
Cheyenne County, NE 41.2 Normal -0.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for San Juan County as a CSV file.

Find Help in San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan County, Colorado?

    San Juan County has a County Distress Index score of 41.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,108th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 31st in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Juan County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Juan County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 54.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does San Juan County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Juan County (41.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Montezuma County, CO (53.6); La Plata County, CO (36.4); Dolores County, CO (33.7).

  • 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). San Juan County's score of 41.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power San Juan County's CDI score?

    San Juan 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 San Juan County?

    San Juan County, Colorado has a population of approximately 802 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.