Cedar County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Healthy · 17.3 | 8,262 people · 92nd most distressed in Nebraska
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Cedar County, NE ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 17.2 — 3114th 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 Nebraska, it ranks 92nd of 93 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. Cedar County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 43.9 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 43.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 8
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 21.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 25
Structural Poverty 16.8
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 8
Disability Rate 8
Transfer Income Dependency 21
Legal Distress 15.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15
Consumer Credit Distress 10.6
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 7
Uninsured Rate 36
Subprime Credit Population 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cedar County
Cedar County, NE 17.3 Healthy —
Clay County, SD 33.1 Healthy +15.9
Wayne County, NE 31.6 Healthy +14.4
Pierce County, NE 24.5 Healthy +7.2
Yankton County, SD 23.9 Healthy +6.6
Knox County, NE 23.3 Healthy +6.0
Dixon County, NE 20.7 Healthy +3.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cedar County
Stillwater County, MT 17.4 Healthy +0.1
Campbell County, SD 17.4 Healthy +0.1
Haakon County, SD 17.1 Healthy -0.1
McHenry County, ND 17.0 Healthy -0.3
Burke County, ND 17.6 Healthy +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cedar County

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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 Cedar 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 Cedar County, Nebraska?

    Cedar County has a County Distress Index score of 17.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,114th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 92nd in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cedar County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cedar County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 43.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Cedar County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cedar County (17.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clay County, SD (33.1); Wayne County, NE (31.6); Pierce County, NE (24.5).

  • 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). Cedar County's score of 17.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Cedar 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 Cedar County?

    Cedar County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 8,262 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.