Eddy County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.5 | 60,275 people · 26th most distressed in New Mexico
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Eddy County, NM falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.5 — 1673rd 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 26th of 33 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Eddy County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 77.3 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 77.3
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 81
Structural Poverty 35.0
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 56
Disability Rate 52
Transfer Income Dependency 11
Economic Vitality 24.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 30
Housing Cost Burden 16.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 49
Legal Distress 14.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Eddy County
Eddy County, NM 48.5 Normal —
Chaves County, NM 67.9 Serious +19.4
Lea County, NM 63.6 Elevated +15.1
Reeves County, TX 61.4 Elevated +12.9
Otero County, NM 56.9 Elevated +8.4
Culberson County, TX 52.9 Elevated +4.4
Loving County, TX 44.8 Normal -3.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Eddy County
Franklin County, MA 48.5 Normal -0.0
Lewis County, WA 48.5 Normal -0.1
Grant County, WA 48.6 Normal +0.1
Mercer County, PA 48.5 Normal -0.1
Culpeper County, VA 48.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Eddy 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 Eddy 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Eddy County has a County Distress Index score of 48.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,673rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Eddy County?

    The primary driver of distress in Eddy County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 77.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Eddy County compare to neighboring counties?

    Eddy County (48.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Chaves County, NM (67.9); Lea County, NM (63.6); Reeves County, TX (61.4).

  • 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 Normal 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). Eddy County's score of 48.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Eddy 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 Eddy County?

    Eddy County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 60,275 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.