Curry County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.9 | 47,222 people · 4th most distressed in New Mexico
American Default Research

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Curry County, NM shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.9 — 443rd 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 4th of 33 counties. It scores higher 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. Curry County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 88.0 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 88.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 91
Consumer Credit Distress 71.1
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 57
Subprime Credit Population 77
Economic Vitality 61.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 72
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 11
House Price Change (YoY) 63
Structural Poverty 55.0
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 42
Legal Distress 31.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Curry County
Curry County, NM 68.9 Serious —
Deaf Smith County, TX 64.4 Elevated -4.5
Roosevelt County, NM 63.2 Elevated -5.7
Quay County, NM 53.6 Elevated -15.3
Bailey County, TX 48.3 Normal -20.6
Parmer County, TX 48.3 Normal -20.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Curry County
Nolan County, TX 68.9 Serious +0.0
Jackson County, OH 69.0 Serious +0.1
Simpson County, MS 68.8 Serious -0.1
Madison County, TX 69.0 Serious +0.1
Essex County, VA 69.0 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Curry 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 Curry 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 Curry County, New Mexico?

    Curry County has a County Distress Index score of 68.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 443rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Curry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Curry County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 88.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Curry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Curry County (68.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Deaf Smith County, TX (64.4); Roosevelt County, NM (63.2); Quay County, NM (53.6).

  • 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). Curry County's score of 68.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Curry 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 Curry County?

    Curry County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 47,222 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.