Hidalgo County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.5 | 3,965 people · 16th most distressed in New Mexico
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Hidalgo County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.5 — 1241st 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 16th of 33 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hidalgo County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 83.8 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 83.8
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 77
Child Poverty Rate 94
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 84
Housing Cost Burden 61.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 45
Economic Vitality 51.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 86
House Price Change (YoY) 63
Consumer Credit Distress 50.3
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 81
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 15
Uninsured Rate 59
Subprime Credit Population 66
Legal Distress 22.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County, NM 55.5 Elevated —
Luna County, NM 72.1 Serious +16.6
Cochise County, AZ 57.6 Elevated +2.1
Grant County, NM 54.9 Elevated -0.6
Greenlee County, AZ 41.7 Normal -13.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hidalgo County
Kenedy County, TX 55.5 Elevated 0.0
Northwest Arctic Borough, AK 55.5 Elevated -0.0
King and Queen County, VA 55.2 Elevated -0.3
Livingston County, KY 55.8 Elevated +0.4
Kinney County, TX 55.1 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo County, New Mexico?

    Hidalgo County has a County Distress Index score of 55.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,241st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hidalgo County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hidalgo County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 83.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Hidalgo County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hidalgo County (55.5) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Luna County, NM (72.1); Cochise County, AZ (57.6); Grant County, NM (54.9).

  • 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). Hidalgo County's score of 55.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo County?

    Hidalgo County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 3,965 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.