Boulder County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.4 | 326,831 people · 56th most distressed in Colorado
American Default Research

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Boulder County, CO ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.4 — 2835th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Colorado, it ranks 56th of 64 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Boulder County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 90.7 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 90.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Employment & Wages 33.5
Unemployment Rate 38
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 1
Income & Poverty 14.2
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 4
Debt & Delinquency 12.1
Debt in Collections 4
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 10
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Community Vulnerability 6.8
Uninsured Rate 11
Disability Rate 2

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Boulder County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Boulder County
Boulder County, CO 31.4 Healthy —
Weld County, CO 41.6 Normal +10.2
Larimer County, CO 36.4 Normal +4.9
Gilpin County, CO 34.7 Healthy +3.2
Grand County, CO 33.4 Healthy +2.0
Jefferson County, CO 33.3 Healthy +1.9
Broomfield County, CO 24.6 Healthy -6.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Boulder County
Somerset County, NJ 31.4 Healthy -0.1
Anne Arundel County, MD 31.2 Healthy -0.3
Dane County, WI 31.7 Healthy +0.3
Ottawa County, MI 31.8 Healthy +0.3
Union County, NC 31.9 Healthy +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Boulder County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Boulder County.

BOULDER COUNTY HOUSING & HUMAN SERVICES, AKA BOULDER COUNTY PERSONAL FINANCE PROGRAM
Longmont
720-564-2279 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabHomeless/Displacement
OWEESTA CORPORATION
Longmont
303-774-8838 Website

See all counselors in Colorado →

Find an Attorney

Colorado Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Colorado Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 303-831-8000

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Boulder County residents at no cost.

Colorado Legal Services 303-837-1313 (Denver); 1-866-529-6257 (statewide)
Colorado Volunteer Lawyer Resource (CVLR) 303-722-0300
Colorado Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 303-831-8000 (Denver); 1-800-332-6736 (statewide)

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 Colorado →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Boulder County, Colorado?

    Boulder County has a County Distress Index score of 31.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,835th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Boulder County?

    The primary driver of distress in Boulder County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 90.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Boulder County compare to neighboring counties?

    Boulder County (31.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Weld County, CO (41.6); Larimer County, CO (36.4); Gilpin County, CO (34.7).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Boulder County?

    Boulder County, Colorado has a population of approximately 326,831 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.