San Miguel County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Healthy · 29.6 | 7,868 people · 54th most distressed in Colorado
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San Miguel County, CO ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 29.6 — 2778th 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 54th of 64 counties. It scores lower 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. San Miguel County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 74.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 74.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 74
Homeownership Rate 84
Economic Vitality 62.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 84
Consumer Credit Distress 10.9
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 7
Structural Poverty 10.7
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Legal Distress 10.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Miguel County
San Miguel County, CO 29.6 Healthy —
San Juan County, UT 51.9 Elevated +22.3
Montrose County, CO 41.5 Normal +11.8
San Juan County, CO 41.3 Normal +11.6
Dolores County, CO 33.7 Healthy +4.1
Ouray County, CO 30.4 Healthy +0.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Miguel County
Holt County, MO 29.6 Healthy 0.0
Liberty County, MT 29.6 Healthy +0.0
Valley County, NE 29.6 Healthy +0.0
Garden County, NE 29.6 Healthy -0.1
Taylor County, IA 29.6 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

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

    San Miguel County has a County Distress Index score of 29.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,778th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Miguel County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Miguel County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 74.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does San Miguel County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Miguel County (29.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: San Juan County, UT (51.9); Montrose County, CO (41.5); San Juan County, CO (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 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). San Miguel County's score of 29.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    San Miguel 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 Miguel County?

    San Miguel County, Colorado has a population of approximately 7,868 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.