Grant County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.9 | 27,472 people · 17th most distressed in New Mexico
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Grant County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.9 — 1281st 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 17th of 33 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Grant County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 80.2 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 80.2
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 64
Child Poverty Rate 85
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 93
Housing Cost Burden 65.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 76
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 56
Economic Vitality 55.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 66
Consumer Credit Distress 48.5
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 50
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Uninsured Rate 19
Subprime Credit Population 50
Legal Distress 17.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Grant County
Grant County, NM 54.9 Elevated —
Luna County, NM 72.1 Serious +17.3
Hidalgo County, NM 55.5 Elevated +0.6
Sierra County, NM 51.3 Elevated -3.6
Greenlee County, AZ 41.7 Normal -13.1
Catron County, NM 41.2 Normal -13.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Grant County
Lawrence County, AL 54.9 Elevated 0.0
Ogemaw County, MI 54.9 Elevated +0.0
Lee County, TX 54.9 Elevated -0.0
Hardin County, OH 54.9 Elevated +0.0
Ohio County, WV 54.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Grant 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 Grant 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 Grant County, New Mexico?

    Grant County has a County Distress Index score of 54.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,281st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Grant County?

    The primary driver of distress in Grant County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 80.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Grant County compare to neighboring counties?

    Grant County (54.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Luna County, NM (72.1); Hidalgo County, NM (55.5); Sierra County, NM (51.3).

  • 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). Grant County's score of 54.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Grant 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 Grant County?

    Grant County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 27,472 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.