Brown County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.2 | 2,853 people · 13th most distressed in Nebraska
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Brown County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.2 — 2055th 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 Nebraska, it ranks 13th of 93 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Brown County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.7 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 53
Economic Vitality 49.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 77
House Price Change (YoY) 46
Structural Poverty 39.4
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 34
Income vs. State Median 73
Child Poverty Rate 34
Disability Rate 43
Transfer Income Dependency 30
Consumer Credit Distress 29.0
Debt in Collections 33
Medical Debt 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 35
Subprime Credit Population 8
Legal Distress 19.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Brown County
Brown County, NE 42.2 Normal —
Cherry County, NE 31.6 Healthy -10.6
Loup County, NE 30.6 Healthy -11.6
Blaine County, NE 28.4 Healthy -13.8
Keya Paha County, NE 28.0 Healthy -14.2
Rock County, NE 25.3 Healthy -16.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Brown County
Greene County, IA 42.1 Normal -0.1
Lake County, CO 42.1 Normal -0.1
Ozark County, MO 42.1 Normal -0.1
Doniphan County, KS 42.0 Normal -0.2
Mellette County, SD 42.0 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brown 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 Brown 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 Brown County, Nebraska?

    Brown County has a County Distress Index score of 42.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,055th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brown County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brown County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Brown County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brown County (42.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Cherry County, NE (31.6); Loup County, NE (30.6); Blaine County, NE (28.4).

  • 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). Brown County's score of 42.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Brown 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 Brown County?

    Brown County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 2,853 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.