Bernalillo County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.8 | 671,586 people · 12th most distressed in New Mexico
American Default Research

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Bernalillo County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.8 — 1031st 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 New Mexico, it ranks 12th of 33 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bernalillo County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 86.8 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 86.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 86
Economic Vitality 60.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 60
Consumer Credit Distress 56.2
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 62
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 52
Structural Poverty 36.0
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 50
Disability Rate 48
Transfer Income Dependency 27
Legal Distress 30.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bernalillo County
Bernalillo County, NM 58.8 Elevated —
Cibola County, NM 72.1 Serious +13.3
Valencia County, NM 63.7 Elevated +4.9
Torrance County, NM 57.5 Elevated -1.2
Sandoval County, NM 50.4 Elevated -8.4
Santa Fe County, NM 45.9 Normal -12.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bernalillo County
Yakima County, WA 58.8 Elevated 0.0
Union County, NJ 58.9 Elevated +0.1
Brazoria County, TX 58.4 Elevated -0.4
Marion County, OR 58.3 Elevated -0.5
St. Tammany Parish, LA 59.3 Elevated +0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bernalillo County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Bernalillo County.

HOMEWISE, INC.
ALBUQUERQUE
505-243-6566
Financial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
SOUTHWEST NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES, INC.
Los Ranchos
505-243-5511
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
UNITED SOUTH BROADWAY CORPORATION
Albuquerque
505-764-8867
Foreclosure Prevention

See all counselors in New Mexico →

Find an Attorney

State Bar of New Mexico Lawyer Referral Program offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of New Mexico Lawyer Referral Program 505-797-6000

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Bernalillo County residents at no cost.

New Mexico Legal Aid 1-866-416-1922
Law Access New Mexico 1-800-340-9771
DNA-Peoples Legal Services, Inc. (928) 871-4151

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 New Mexico →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Bernalillo County, New Mexico?

    Bernalillo County has a County Distress Index score of 58.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,031st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bernalillo County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bernalillo County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 86.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Bernalillo County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bernalillo County (58.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Cibola County, NM (72.1); Valencia County, NM (63.7); Torrance County, NM (57.5).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Bernalillo County's score of 58.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Bernalillo 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 Bernalillo County?

    Bernalillo County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 671,586 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.