San Juan County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.7 | 120,675 people · 8th most distressed in New Mexico
American Default Research

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San Juan County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.7 — 723rd 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 8th of 33 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. San Juan County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 77.0 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 77.0
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 36
Auto Loan Delinquency 97
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 91
Structural Poverty 60.5
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 83
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 63
Housing Cost Burden 58.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 70
Economic Vitality 49.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 82
House Price Change (YoY) 23
Legal Distress 16.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Juan County
San Juan County, NM 63.7 Elevated —
McKinley County, NM 72.7 Serious +9.0
Apache County, AZ 64.5 Elevated +0.8
Montezuma County, CO 53.6 Elevated -10.1
San Juan County, UT 51.9 Elevated -11.8
Sandoval County, NM 50.4 Elevated -13.4
Rio Arriba County, NM 48.2 Normal -15.5
La Plata County, CO 36.4 Normal -27.3
Archuleta County, CO 32.5 Healthy -31.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Juan County
Rankin County, MS 63.7 Elevated +0.0
Valencia County, NM 63.7 Elevated -0.0
Jefferson County, OH 63.7 Elevated -0.0
Warren County, KY 63.8 Elevated +0.1
Lea County, NM 63.6 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for San Juan County as a CSV file.

Find Help in San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan County, New Mexico?

    San Juan County has a County Distress Index score of 63.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 723rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Juan County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Juan County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 77.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does San Juan County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Juan County (63.7) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: McKinley County, NM (72.7); Apache County, AZ (64.5); Montezuma County, CO (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). San Juan County's score of 63.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power San Juan County's CDI score?

    San Juan 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 San Juan County?

    San Juan County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 120,675 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.