Deuel County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.1 | 1,871 people · 37th most distressed in Nebraska
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Deuel County, NE ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.1 — 2644th 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 37th of 93 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Deuel County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 65.3 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 65.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 94
House Price Change (YoY) 44
Structural Poverty 62.4
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 37
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 55
Disability Rate 65
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Legal Distress 39.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39
Consumer Credit Distress 27.4
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 29
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 36
Housing Cost Burden 7.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Deuel County
Deuel County, NE 32.1 Healthy —
Sedgwick County, CO 57.0 Elevated +24.8
Cheyenne County, NE 41.2 Normal +9.1
Keith County, NE 38.9 Normal +6.8
Garden County, NE 29.6 Healthy -2.6
Perkins County, NE 23.3 Healthy -8.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Deuel County
Coffey County, KS 32.2 Healthy +0.0
Pocahontas County, IA 32.1 Healthy -0.0
Piute County, UT 32.3 Healthy +0.1
Richardson County, NE 32.3 Healthy +0.1
Scotland County, MO 32.3 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Deuel 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 Deuel 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 Deuel County, Nebraska?

    Deuel County has a County Distress Index score of 32.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,644th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Deuel County?

    The primary driver of distress in Deuel County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 65.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Deuel County compare to neighboring counties?

    Deuel County (32.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Sedgwick County, CO (57.0); Cheyenne County, NE (41.2); Keith County, NE (38.9).

  • 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). Deuel County's score of 32.1 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Deuel 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 Deuel County?

    Deuel County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 1,871 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.