Torrance County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.5 | 15,633 people · 14th most distressed in New Mexico
American Default Research

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Torrance County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.5 — 1118th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within New Mexico, it ranks 14th of 33 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Torrance County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 88.9 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 88.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 94
Structural Poverty 86.8
Unemployment Rate 86
Poverty Rate 93
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 94
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Consumer Credit Distress 58.1
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 46
Subprime Credit Population 71
Legal Distress 34.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34
Housing Cost Burden 33.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 71
Homeownership Rate 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Torrance County
Torrance County, NM 57.5 Elevated —
Socorro County, NM 63.7 Elevated +6.2
Valencia County, NM 63.7 Elevated +6.1
Bernalillo County, NM 58.8 Elevated +1.2
San Miguel County, NM 58.0 Elevated +0.5
Guadalupe County, NM 53.1 Elevated -4.5
Lincoln County, NM 50.0 Normal -7.6
Santa Fe County, NM 45.9 Normal -11.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Torrance County
Churchill County, NV 57.5 Elevated -0.0
Pike County, GA 57.6 Elevated +0.0
Morgan County, TN 57.6 Elevated +0.0
Greenup County, KY 57.6 Elevated +0.1
Scotts Bluff County, NE 57.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Torrance 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 Torrance 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 Torrance County, New Mexico?

    Torrance County has a County Distress Index score of 57.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,118th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Torrance County?

    The primary driver of distress in Torrance County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 88.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Torrance County compare to neighboring counties?

    Torrance County (57.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Socorro County, NM (63.7); Valencia County, NM (63.7); Bernalillo County, NM (58.8).

  • 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). Torrance County's score of 57.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Torrance 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 Torrance County?

    Torrance County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 15,633 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.