Frontier County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.9 | 2,585 people · 45th most distressed in Nebraska
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Frontier County, NE ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.9 — 2711th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Nebraska, it ranks 45th of 93 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Frontier County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 55.5 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 55.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 14
Structural Poverty 51.0
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 60
Child Poverty Rate 45
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 52
Legal Distress 44.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 44
Housing Cost Burden 23.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 25
Homeownership Rate 63
Consumer Credit Distress 21.7
Debt in Collections 9
Medical Debt 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Frontier County
Frontier County, NE 30.9 Healthy —
Red Willow County, NE 46.3 Normal +15.5
Lincoln County, NE 45.2 Normal +14.4
Dawson County, NE 40.2 Normal +9.4
Furnas County, NE 40.2 Normal +9.4
Hitchcock County, NE 37.4 Normal +6.5
Hayes County, NE 28.0 Healthy -2.9
Gosper County, NE 26.3 Healthy -4.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Frontier County
Hodgeman County, KS 30.8 Healthy -0.1
Barber County, KS 30.8 Healthy -0.1
Custer County, ID 31.0 Healthy +0.1
Putnam County, IL 31.0 Healthy +0.1
Petroleum County, MT 31.1 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Frontier 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 Frontier 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 Frontier County, Nebraska?

    Frontier County has a County Distress Index score of 30.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,711th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Frontier County?

    The primary driver of distress in Frontier County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 55.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Frontier County compare to neighboring counties?

    Frontier County (30.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Red Willow County, NE (46.3); Lincoln County, NE (45.2); Dawson County, NE (40.2).

  • 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). Frontier County's score of 30.9 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Frontier 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 Frontier County?

    Frontier County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 2,585 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.