Mesa County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.1 | 159,681 people · 22nd most distressed in Colorado
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Mesa County, CO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.1 — 1664th 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 22nd of 64 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Mesa County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 73.1 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 73.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 82
Homeownership Rate 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Community Vulnerability 54.3
Uninsured Rate 63
Disability Rate 45
Income & Poverty 45.1
Poverty Rate 37
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 27
Employment & Wages 40.6
Unemployment Rate 49
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 13
Debt & Delinquency 32.4
Debt in Collections 30
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Mesa County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Mesa County
Mesa County, CO 49.1 Normal —
San Juan County, UT 64.0 Elevated +14.9
Grand County, UT 58.9 Elevated +9.8
Delta County, CO 58.5 Elevated +9.4
Montrose County, CO 44.2 Normal -4.9
Garfield County, CO 37.9 Normal -11.2
Gunnison County, CO 33.1 Healthy -16.0
Pitkin County, CO 24.5 Healthy -24.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Mesa County
Gordon County, GA 49.0 Normal -0.1
Davidson County, NC 49.0 Normal -0.1
St. Joseph County, MI 49.0 Normal -0.1
Granville County, NC 49.3 Normal +0.1
Hood County, TX 49.3 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mesa County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Mesa County.

HOUSING RESOURCES OF WESTERN COLORADO
Grand Junction
970-250-2585
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Mesa 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 Mesa County, Colorado?

    Mesa County has a County Distress Index score of 49.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,664th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mesa County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mesa County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 73.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Mesa County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mesa County (49.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: San Juan County, UT (64.0); Grand County, UT (58.9); Delta County, CO (58.5).

  • 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 Mesa County?

    Mesa County, Colorado has a population of approximately 159,681 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.