Lea County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.6 | 72,101 people · 10th most distressed in New Mexico
American Default Research

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Lea County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.6 — 733rd 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 10th of 33 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 8 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lea County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 89.9 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 89.9
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 86
Housing Cost Burden 52.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 53
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 72
Economic Vitality 44.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 30
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 23
Structural Poverty 35.4
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 21
Transfer Income Dependency 17
Legal Distress 3.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 3

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lea County
Lea County, NM 63.6 Elevated —
Chaves County, NM 67.9 Serious +4.3
Roosevelt County, NM 63.2 Elevated -0.5
Cochran County, TX 61.1 Elevated -2.5
Andrews County, TX 50.3 Elevated -13.4
Eddy County, NM 48.5 Normal -15.1
Loving County, TX 44.8 Normal -18.9
Winkler County, TX 44.0 Normal -19.6
Yoakum County, TX 42.8 Normal -20.9
Gaines County, TX 40.7 Normal -22.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lea County
Jefferson County, OH 63.7 Elevated +0.0
Valencia County, NM 63.7 Elevated +0.0
San Juan County, NM 63.7 Elevated +0.1
Rankin County, MS 63.7 Elevated +0.1
Warren County, KY 63.8 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lea 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 Lea 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 Lea County, New Mexico?

    Lea County has a County Distress Index score of 63.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 733rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lea County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lea County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 89.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lea County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lea County (63.6) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Chaves County, NM (67.9); Roosevelt County, NM (63.2); Cochran County, TX (61.1).

  • 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). Lea County's score of 63.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lea 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 Lea County?

    Lea County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 72,101 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.