Chaves County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.9 | 63,561 people · 5th most distressed in New Mexico
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Chaves County, NM shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.9 — 501st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within New Mexico, it ranks 5th of 33 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Chaves County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 75.2 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 75.2
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 79
Economic Vitality 69.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 65
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Structural Poverty 68.0
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 49
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Housing Cost Burden 65.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 75
Legal Distress 25.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Chaves County
Chaves County, NM 67.9 Serious —
Lea County, NM 63.6 Elevated -4.3
Roosevelt County, NM 63.2 Elevated -4.7
Otero County, NM 56.9 Elevated -11.0
De Baca County, NM 51.7 Elevated -16.2
Lincoln County, NM 50.0 Normal -17.9
Eddy County, NM 48.5 Normal -19.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Chaves County
Columbus County, NC 67.9 Serious 0.0
Hoke County, NC 67.9 Serious -0.0
Lake County, CA 68.0 Serious +0.1
Talladega County, AL 68.0 Serious +0.1
Barrow County, GA 68.1 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chaves County

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 Chaves 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 Chaves County, New Mexico?

    Chaves County has a County Distress Index score of 67.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 501st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chaves County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chaves County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 75.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Chaves County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chaves County (67.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Lea County, NM (63.6); Roosevelt County, NM (63.2); Otero County, NM (56.9).

  • 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 Serious 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). Chaves County's score of 67.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Chaves 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 Chaves County?

    Chaves County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 63,561 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.