Box Butte County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.1 | 10,692 people · 12th most distressed in Nebraska
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Box Butte County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.1 — 1950th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Nebraska, it ranks 12th of 93 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Box Butte County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 78.3 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 78.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Economic Vitality 44.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 14
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 66
Structural Poverty 43.6
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 34
Disability Rate 44
Transfer Income Dependency 63
Housing Cost Burden 43.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 33
Homeownership Rate 44
Consumer Credit Distress 39.1
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 42
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Box Butte County
Box Butte County, NE 44.1 Normal —
Scotts Bluff County, NE 57.6 Elevated +13.5
Dawes County, NE 50.2 Elevated +6.2
Morrill County, NE 33.8 Healthy -10.3
Sioux County, NE 30.4 Healthy -13.7
Sheridan County, NE 28.3 Healthy -15.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Box Butte County
Van Wert County, OH 44.1 Normal +0.0
Stephenson County, IL 44.0 Normal -0.1
Union County, IL 44.0 Normal -0.1
Tioga County, PA 44.0 Normal -0.1
Okanogan County, WA 44.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Box Butte County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Box Butte County

Find an Attorney

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

Nebraska State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 402-475-7091

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Box Butte County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of Nebraska 1-877-250-2016

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Box Butte County, Nebraska?

    Box Butte County has a County Distress Index score of 44.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,950th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Box Butte County?

    The primary driver of distress in Box Butte County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 78.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Box Butte County compare to neighboring counties?

    Box Butte County (44.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Scotts Bluff County, NE (57.6); Dawes County, NE (50.2); Morrill County, NE (33.8).

  • 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 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). Box Butte County's score of 44.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Box Butte County's CDI score?

    Box Butte 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 Box Butte County?

    Box Butte County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 10,692 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.