Cibola County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.1 | 26,780 people · 3rd most distressed in New Mexico
American Default Research

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Cibola County, NM shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.1 — 311th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within New Mexico, it ranks 3rd of 33 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cibola County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 85.7 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 85.7
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 85.7
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 79
Subprime Credit Population 91
Economic Vitality 61.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 99
House Price Change (YoY) 4
Housing Cost Burden 58.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 65
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 69
Legal Distress 14.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cibola County
Cibola County, NM 72.1 Serious —
McKinley County, NM 72.7 Serious +0.6
Apache County, AZ 64.5 Elevated -7.5
Socorro County, NM 63.7 Elevated -8.3
Valencia County, NM 63.7 Elevated -8.4
Bernalillo County, NM 58.8 Elevated -13.3
Sandoval County, NM 50.4 Elevated -21.7
Catron County, NM 41.2 Normal -30.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cibola County
Barbour County, AL 72.1 Serious +0.0
St. Mary Parish, LA 72.1 Serious +0.0
Hale County, AL 72.1 Serious +0.1
Luna County, NM 72.1 Serious +0.1
Colonial Heights city, VA 72.0 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cibola 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 Cibola 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Cibola County has a County Distress Index score of 72.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 311th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cibola County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cibola County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 85.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Cibola County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cibola County (72.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: McKinley County, NM (72.7); Apache County, AZ (64.5); Socorro County, NM (63.7).

  • 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 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). Cibola County's score of 72.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Cibola 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 Cibola County?

    Cibola County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 26,780 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.