San Juan County, Utah

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.9 | 14,358 people · 2nd most distressed in Utah
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San Juan County, UT registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.9 — 1461st 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 Utah, it ranks 2nd of 29 counties. Among its 14 neighboring counties, 8 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. San Juan County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 79.5 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 79.5
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 94
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 85
Transfer Income Dependency 63
Economic Vitality 68.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 45
Consumer Credit Distress 66.4
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 64
Housing Cost Burden 11.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 20
Legal Distress 9.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Juan County
San Juan County, UT 51.9 Elevated —
Navajo County, AZ 65.2 Serious +13.3
Apache County, AZ 64.5 Elevated +12.6
San Juan County, NM 63.7 Elevated +11.8
Coconino County, AZ 63.2 Elevated +11.3
Montezuma County, CO 53.6 Elevated +1.6
Grand County, UT 53.3 Elevated +1.4
Mesa County, CO 46.1 Normal -5.9
Montrose County, CO 41.5 Normal -10.5
Dolores County, CO 33.7 Healthy -18.2
Kane County, UT 33.7 Healthy -18.2
Garfield County, UT 31.4 Healthy -20.5
Emery County, UT 30.7 Healthy -21.3
San Miguel County, CO 29.6 Healthy -22.3
Wayne County, UT 26.0 Healthy -25.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Juan County
Coles County, IL 51.9 Elevated +0.0
Greene County, IN 52.0 Elevated +0.0
Orleans County, NY 51.9 Elevated -0.0
Randolph County, IN 52.0 Elevated +0.1
Montgomery County, IN 51.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan County, Utah?

    San Juan County has a County Distress Index score of 51.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,461st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Utah out of 29 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Juan County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Juan County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 79.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does San Juan County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Juan County (51.9) can be compared to its 14 neighboring counties: Navajo County, AZ (65.2); Apache County, AZ (64.5); San Juan 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). San Juan County's score of 51.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    San Juan 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 Juan County?

    San Juan County, Utah has a population of approximately 14,358 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.