Sierra County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.3 | 11,488 people · 22nd most distressed in New Mexico
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Sierra County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.3 — 1504th 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 22nd of 33 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sierra County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 93.7 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 93.7
Unemployment Rate 92
Poverty Rate 93
Income vs. State Median 92
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 68.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 67
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 61
House Price Change (YoY) 13
Housing Cost Burden 54.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 70
Consumer Credit Distress 37.5
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 12
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 9
Subprime Credit Population 38
Legal Distress 29.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sierra County
Sierra County, NM 51.3 Elevated —
Luna County, NM 72.1 Serious +20.9
Doña Ana County, NM 67.1 Serious +15.8
Socorro County, NM 63.7 Elevated +12.5
Otero County, NM 56.9 Elevated +5.7
Grant County, NM 54.9 Elevated +3.6
Lincoln County, NM 50.0 Normal -1.3
Catron County, NM 41.2 Normal -10.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sierra County
Hickman County, TN 51.2 Elevated -0.0
Nicholas County, WV 51.3 Elevated +0.0
Yadkin County, NC 51.2 Elevated -0.0
Clinton County, PA 51.3 Elevated +0.1
Noble County, OK 51.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sierra 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 Sierra 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 Sierra County, New Mexico?

    Sierra County has a County Distress Index score of 51.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,504th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sierra County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sierra County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 93.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Sierra County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sierra County (51.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Luna County, NM (72.1); Doña Ana County, NM (67.1); Socorro County, NM (63.7).

  • 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). Sierra County's score of 51.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Sierra 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 Sierra County?

    Sierra County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 11,488 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.