De Baca County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.7 | 1,657 people · 21st most distressed in New Mexico
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De Baca County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.7 — 1469th 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 21st of 33 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. De Baca County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 79.7 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 79.7
Unemployment Rate 89
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Economic Vitality 75.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 70
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 63
Consumer Credit Distress 53.8
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 68
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 65
Subprime Credit Population 48
Housing Cost Burden 31.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 22
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 74
Legal Distress 17.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. De Baca County
De Baca County, NM 51.7 Elevated —
Chaves County, NM 67.9 Serious +16.2
Roosevelt County, NM 63.2 Elevated +11.4
Quay County, NM 53.6 Elevated +1.8
Guadalupe County, NM 53.1 Elevated +1.3
Lincoln County, NM 50.0 Normal -1.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. De Baca County
Van Buren County, TN 51.8 Elevated +0.1
Kent County, TX 51.6 Elevated -0.1
Knox County, TX 51.6 Elevated -0.1
Cottle County, TX 51.6 Elevated -0.2
Sterling County, TX 52.0 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for De Baca County as a CSV file.

Find Help in De Baca 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 De Baca 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 De Baca County, New Mexico?

    De Baca County has a County Distress Index score of 51.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,469th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in De Baca County?

    The primary driver of distress in De Baca County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 79.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does De Baca County compare to neighboring counties?

    De Baca County (51.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Chaves County, NM (67.9); 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 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). De Baca County's score of 51.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power De Baca County's CDI score?

    De Baca 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 De Baca County?

    De Baca County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 1,657 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.