Santa Fe County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.5 | 155,956 people · 30th most distressed in New Mexico
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Santa Fe County, NM falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.5 — 1707th 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 New Mexico, it ranks 30th of 33 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Santa Fe County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 74.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 74.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Community Vulnerability 50.3
Uninsured Rate 61
Disability Rate 40
Employment & Wages 49.3
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 15
Debt & Delinquency 35.5
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 63
Student Loan Delinquency 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 41
Credit Card Delinquency 21
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16
Income & Poverty 32.6
Poverty Rate 39
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Santa Fe County
Santa Fe County, NM 48.5 Normal —
Torrance County, NM 69.8 Serious +21.3
San Miguel County, NM 65.8 Serious +17.2
Rio Arriba County, NM 54.5 Elevated +6.0
Mora County, NM 53.0 Elevated +4.5
Bernalillo County, NM 52.8 Elevated +4.3
Sandoval County, NM 44.2 Normal -4.3
Los Alamos County, NM 13.3 Healthy -35.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Santa Fe County
Roane County, TN 48.5 Normal -0.0
Walton County, FL 48.6 Normal +0.1
Warren County, KY 48.6 Normal +0.1
Cecil County, MD 48.4 Normal -0.1
Kennebec County, ME 48.4 Normal -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Santa Fe County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Santa Fe County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Santa Fe County.

HOMEWISE, INC.
Santa Fe
505-983-9473
Financial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in New Mexico →

Find an Attorney

State Bar of New Mexico Lawyer Referral Program offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of New Mexico Lawyer Referral Program 505-797-6000

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Santa Fe County residents at no cost.

New Mexico Legal Aid 1-866-416-1922
Law Access New Mexico 1-800-340-9771
DNA-Peoples Legal Services, Inc. (928) 871-4151

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 New Mexico →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Santa Fe County, New Mexico?

    Santa Fe County has a County Distress Index score of 48.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,707th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Santa Fe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Santa Fe County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 74.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Santa Fe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Santa Fe County (48.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Torrance County, NM (69.8); San Miguel County, NM (65.8); Rio Arriba County, NM (54.5).

  • 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 Santa Fe County?

    Santa Fe County, New Mexico has a population of approximately 155,956 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.