Guadalupe County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.1 | 4,292 people · 20th most distressed in New Mexico
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Guadalupe County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.1 — 1398th 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 20th of 33 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Guadalupe County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 87.7 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 87.7
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 84
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Economic Vitality 76.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 63
Consumer Credit Distress 61.8
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Uninsured Rate 35
Subprime Credit Population 61
Housing Cost Burden 19.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 27
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Guadalupe County
Guadalupe County, NM 53.1 Elevated —
San Miguel County, NM 58.0 Elevated +5.0
Torrance County, NM 57.5 Elevated +4.5
Quay County, NM 53.6 Elevated +0.5
De Baca County, NM 51.7 Elevated -1.3
Lincoln County, NM 50.0 Normal -3.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Guadalupe County
Clark County, MO 53.1 Elevated +0.1
Culberson County, TX 52.9 Elevated -0.2
McMullen County, TX 52.9 Elevated -0.2
Stark County, IL 52.8 Elevated -0.2
Grand County, UT 53.3 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Guadalupe 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 Guadalupe 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 Guadalupe County, New Mexico?

    Guadalupe County has a County Distress Index score of 53.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,398th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Guadalupe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Guadalupe County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 87.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Guadalupe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Guadalupe County (53.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: San Miguel County, NM (58.0); Torrance County, NM (57.5); 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). Guadalupe County's score of 53.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Guadalupe 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 Guadalupe County?

    Guadalupe County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 4,292 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.