Mora County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.8 | 4,123 people · 32nd most distressed in New Mexico
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Mora County, NM falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.8 — 2144th 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 32nd of 33 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mora County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 88.0 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 88.0
Unemployment Rate 92
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 75
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Economic Vitality 59.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 63
Legal Distress 47.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47
Consumer Credit Distress 38.4
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 40
Housing Cost Burden 7.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mora County
Mora County, NM 40.8 Normal —
San Miguel County, NM 58.0 Elevated +17.3
Colfax County, NM 54.3 Elevated +13.5
Taos County, NM 50.6 Elevated +9.8
Rio Arriba County, NM 48.2 Normal +7.4
Santa Fe County, NM 45.9 Normal +5.1
Harding County, NM 43.4 Normal +2.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mora County
Dewey County, OK 40.8 Normal 0.0
Henderson County, IL 40.8 Normal +0.1
Pleasants County, WV 40.7 Normal -0.1
Norton County, KS 40.9 Normal +0.1
Armstrong County, TX 40.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mora 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 Mora 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 Mora County, New Mexico?

    Mora County has a County Distress Index score of 40.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,144th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mora County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mora County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 88.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Mora County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mora County (40.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: San Miguel County, NM (58.0); Colfax County, NM (54.3); Taos County, NM (50.6).

  • 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 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). Mora County's score of 40.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Mora 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 Mora County?

    Mora County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 4,123 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.