Nevada County, California

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.9 | 102,037 people · 41st most distressed in California
American Default Research

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Nevada County, CA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.9 — 2074th 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 California, it ranks 41st of 58 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Nevada County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 89.6 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 89.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 50
Economic Vitality 76.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 81
Legal Distress 42.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42
Structural Poverty 34.5
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 28
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 23
Disability Rate 31
Transfer Income Dependency 26
Consumer Credit Distress 14.9
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 18
Uninsured Rate 20
Subprime Credit Population 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Nevada County
Nevada County, CA 41.9 Normal —
Yuba County, CA 65.5 Serious +23.6
Washoe County, NV 59.5 Elevated +17.6
Placer County, CA 37.4 Normal -4.5
Sierra County, CA 37.1 Normal -4.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Nevada County
Kendall County, IL 41.9 Normal -0.0
Sussex County, NJ 41.8 Normal -0.1
Whatcom County, WA 42.0 Normal +0.1
Scott County, KY 42.1 Normal +0.2
Wayne County, NY 41.7 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Nevada County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of California — Find a Lawyer offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of California — Find a Lawyer 1-866-442-2529

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Nevada County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) 1-800-399-4529
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) 1-800-433-6251
Bay Area Legal Aid 1-800-551-5554
Legal Services of Northern California 1-800-822-9687
California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) 1-800-337-0690
Inland Counties Legal Services (ICLS) 1-888-245-4257
Legal Aid Society of San Diego 1-877-534-2524
Community Legal Aid SoCal 1-800-834-5001
California Indian Legal Services, Inc. (760) 746-8941
Central California Legal Services (800) 675-8001
Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Inc. (661) 325-5943

Self-Help Resources

California Courts Self-Help — Foreclosure and Mortgage Help Official California courts self-help resource with information on foreclosure procedures, homeowner rights, tenant protections in foreclosure, and links to free legal help.
LawHelpCA — Foreclosure Prevention Statewide legal aid directory connecting Californians with free legal information and local legal aid providers for foreclosure prevention, including links to self-help guides and intake forms.
California Attorney General — Homeowner Bill of Rights Official AG page explaining HBOR protections, including fact sheets on dual-tracking prohibition, single point of contact, and how to file a complaint about servicer violations.
DFPI Mortgage Relief Resources DFPI consumer resources for housing and mortgage issues, including information on PACE financing, foreclosure scam alerts, and how to file complaints against licensees.

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 California →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Nevada County, California?

    Nevada County has a County Distress Index score of 41.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,074th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in California out of 58 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Nevada County?

    The primary driver of distress in Nevada County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 89.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Nevada County compare to neighboring counties?

    Nevada County (41.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Yuba County, CA (65.5); Washoe County, NV (59.5); Placer County, CA (37.4).

  • 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). Nevada County's score of 41.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Nevada 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 Nevada County?

    Nevada County, California has a population of approximately 102,037 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.