Boyd County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.0 | 1,725 people · 24th most distressed in Nebraska
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Boyd County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.0 — 2363rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Nebraska, it ranks 24th of 93 counties. It scores higher 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. Boyd County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 78.4 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 78.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 44
Legal Distress 68.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Structural Poverty 61.6
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 42
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 62
Transfer Income Dependency 69
Housing Cost Burden 23.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 63
Homeownership Rate 7
Consumer Credit Distress 23.4
Debt in Collections 17
Medical Debt 29
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 29
Uninsured Rate 59
Subprime Credit Population 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Boyd County
Boyd County, NE 37.0 Normal —
Gregory County, SD 36.4 Normal -0.6
Charles Mix County, SD 29.4 Healthy -7.6
Keya Paha County, NE 28.0 Healthy -9.0
Rock County, NE 25.3 Healthy -11.7
Knox County, NE 23.3 Healthy -13.7
Holt County, NE 17.7 Healthy -19.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Boyd County
Schuyler County, MO 37.0 Normal +0.0
Stevens County, KS 36.9 Normal -0.1
Swift County, MN 36.9 Normal -0.1
Stanton County, NE 36.9 Normal -0.1
Russell County, KS 36.9 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

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

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Legal aid organizations serving Boyd 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 Boyd County, Nebraska?

    Boyd County has a County Distress Index score of 37.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,363rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Boyd County?

    The primary driver of distress in Boyd County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 78.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Boyd County compare to neighboring counties?

    Boyd County (37.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Gregory County, SD (36.4); Charles Mix County, SD (29.4); Keya Paha County, NE (28.0).

  • 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). Boyd County's score of 37.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Boyd 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 Boyd County?

    Boyd County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 1,725 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.