Valencia County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.7 | 79,141 people · 9th most distressed in New Mexico
American Default Research

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

Valencia County, NM registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.7 — 727th 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 9th of 33 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Valencia County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 82.2 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 82.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 97
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 35
Consumer Credit Distress 65.3
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 71
Structural Poverty 64.3
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 27
Child Poverty Rate 77
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 69
Housing Cost Burden 62.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 10
Legal Distress 32.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Valencia County
Valencia County, NM 63.7 Elevated —
Cibola County, NM 72.1 Serious +8.4
Socorro County, NM 63.7 Elevated +0.1
Bernalillo County, NM 58.8 Elevated -4.9
Torrance County, NM 57.5 Elevated -6.1

Population Peers

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

Download Data

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

Find Help in Valencia 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 Valencia 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 Valencia County, New Mexico?

    Valencia County has a County Distress Index score of 63.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 727th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Valencia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Valencia County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 82.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Valencia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Valencia County (63.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Cibola County, NM (72.1); Socorro 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). Valencia County's score of 63.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Valencia 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 Valencia County?

    Valencia County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 79,141 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.