Nemaha County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 15.1 | 10,114 people · 105th most distressed in Kansas
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Nemaha County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 15.1 — 3134th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages keep pace with costs, business formation is healthy, and the local economy shows resilience. Within Kansas, it ranks 105th of 105 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Nemaha County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 24.5 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 24.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 22.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 18
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 21
Homeownership Rate 25
Legal Distress 14.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15
Structural Poverty 13.5
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 15
Consumer Credit Distress 10.3
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 20
Uninsured Rate 18
Subprime Credit Population 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Nemaha County
Nemaha County, KS 15.1 Healthy —
Marshall County, KS 39.1 Normal +23.9
Jackson County, KS 36.3 Normal +21.2
Pawnee County, NE 35.8 Normal +20.7
Richardson County, NE 32.3 Healthy +17.2
Brown County, KS 30.5 Healthy +15.4
Pottawatomie County, KS 21.0 Healthy +5.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Nemaha County
Morgan County, UT 15.3 Healthy +0.1
Winneshiek County, IA 16.2 Healthy +1.1
Jefferson County, MT 16.5 Healthy +1.4
Grundy County, IA 16.6 Healthy +1.5
Lincoln County, WY 17.1 Healthy +1.9

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Nemaha County, Kansas?

    Nemaha County has a County Distress Index score of 15.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,134th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 105th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Nemaha County?

    The primary driver of distress in Nemaha County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 24.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Nemaha County compare to neighboring counties?

    Nemaha County (15.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Marshall County, KS (39.1); Jackson County, KS (36.3); Pawnee County, NE (35.8).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Nemaha County's score of 15.1 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Nemaha 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 Nemaha County?

    Nemaha County, Kansas has a population of approximately 10,114 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.