Sanpete County, Utah

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.9 | 30,277 people · 12th most distressed in Utah
American Default Research

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

Sanpete County, UT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.9 — 2321st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Utah, it ranks 12th of 29 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sanpete County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 59.8 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 59.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Legal Distress 54.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Housing Cost Burden 52.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 38
Structural Poverty 45.2
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 75
Child Poverty Rate 29
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 40
Consumer Credit Distress 22.2
Debt in Collections 18
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 12
Credit Card Delinquency 12
Uninsured Rate 71
Subprime Credit Population 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sanpete County
Sanpete County, UT 37.9 Normal —
Carbon County, UT 50.8 Elevated +12.9
Sevier County, UT 40.3 Normal +2.4
Utah County, UT 36.5 Normal -1.4
Emery County, UT 30.7 Healthy -7.2
Juab County, UT 29.1 Healthy -8.8
Millard County, UT 27.1 Healthy -10.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sanpete County
Lake County, MN 37.9 Normal -0.0
North Slope Borough, AK 37.9 Normal +0.0
Clark County, IL 37.9 Normal +0.0
Daviess County, IN 37.9 Normal +0.1
Huntingdon County, PA 37.8 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sanpete 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 Sanpete County residents at no cost.

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

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 Utah →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Sanpete County has a County Distress Index score of 37.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,321st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Utah out of 29 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sanpete County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sanpete County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 59.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Sanpete County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sanpete County (37.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Carbon County, UT (50.8); Sevier County, UT (40.3); Utah County, UT (36.5).

  • 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 Normal 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). Sanpete County's score of 37.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Sanpete 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 Sanpete County?

    Sanpete County, Utah has a population of approximately 30,277 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.