Emery County, Utah

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.7 | 10,144 people · 20th most distressed in Utah
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Emery County, UT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.7 — 2724th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Utah, it ranks 20th of 29 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Emery County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 56.4 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 56.4
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 28
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 63
Housing Cost Burden 40.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 44
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 21
Consumer Credit Distress 22.9
Debt in Collections 26
Medical Debt 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 8
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 14
Economic Vitality 19.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 41
House Price Change (YoY) 50
Legal Distress 18.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Emery County
Emery County, UT 30.7 Healthy —
Grand County, UT 53.3 Elevated +22.7
San Juan County, UT 51.9 Elevated +21.3
Carbon County, UT 50.8 Elevated +20.1
Uintah County, UT 41.3 Normal +10.6
Sevier County, UT 40.3 Normal +9.6
Sanpete County, UT 37.9 Normal +7.2
Wayne County, UT 26.0 Healthy -4.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Emery County
Franklin County, IN 30.7 Healthy 0.0
Crawford County, IL 30.6 Healthy -0.0
Pend Oreille County, WA 30.7 Healthy +0.0
Becker County, MN 30.7 Healthy +0.1
Camden County, NC 30.8 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Emery County

Find an Attorney

Utah State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Utah State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 801-531-9077

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Emery County residents at no cost.

Utah Legal Services 1-800-662-4245
Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake 801-328-8849

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Emery County, Utah?

    Emery County has a County Distress Index score of 30.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,724th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Utah out of 29 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Emery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Emery County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 56.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Emery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Emery County (30.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Grand County, UT (53.3); San Juan County, UT (51.9); Carbon County, UT (50.8).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Emery County's score of 30.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Emery 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 Emery County?

    Emery County, Utah has a population of approximately 10,144 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.