San Miguel County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.0 | 26,668 people · 13th most distressed in New Mexico
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

San Miguel County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.0 — 1071st 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 13th of 33 counties. It scores higher 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. San Miguel County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 85.8 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 85.8
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 96
Transfer Income Dependency 99
Housing Cost Burden 76.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 56
Economic Vitality 65.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 61
House Price Change (YoY) 4
Consumer Credit Distress 48.1
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 62
Legal Distress 6.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Miguel County
San Miguel County, NM 58.0 Elevated —
Torrance County, NM 57.5 Elevated -0.5
Quay County, NM 53.6 Elevated -4.5
Guadalupe County, NM 53.1 Elevated -5.0
Santa Fe County, NM 45.9 Normal -12.1
Harding County, NM 43.4 Normal -14.7
Mora County, NM 40.8 Normal -17.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Miguel County
Cass County, IN 58.0 Elevated 0.0
Williamsburg city, VA 58.0 Elevated -0.0
Abbeville County, SC 58.0 Elevated -0.0
Tishomingo County, MS 58.1 Elevated +0.1
Bourbon County, KS 58.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in San Miguel 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 Miguel 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in New Mexico →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for San Miguel County, New Mexico?

    San Miguel County has a County Distress Index score of 58.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,071st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Miguel County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Miguel County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 85.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does San Miguel County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Miguel County (58.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Torrance County, NM (57.5); Quay County, NM (53.6); Guadalupe County, NM (53.1).

  • 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). San Miguel County's score of 58.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    San Miguel 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 Miguel County?

    San Miguel County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 26,668 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.