Garfield County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.6 | 1,763 people · 28th most distressed in Nebraska
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Garfield County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.6 — 2447th 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 28th 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. Garfield County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 69.1 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 69.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 67
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 44
Structural Poverty 50.4
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 28
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 21
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Housing Cost Burden 49.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 50
Legal Distress 42.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43
Consumer Credit Distress 17.2
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 29
Uninsured Rate 24
Subprime Credit Population 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Garfield County
Garfield County, NE 35.6 Normal —
Loup County, NE 30.6 Healthy -5.1
Valley County, NE 29.6 Healthy -6.0
Wheeler County, NE 27.3 Healthy -8.3
Custer County, NE 27.2 Healthy -8.4
Holt County, NE 17.7 Healthy -17.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Garfield County
Rice County, KS 35.6 Normal +0.0
Gallatin County, IL 35.7 Normal +0.1
Gilpin County, CO 35.5 Normal -0.1
Morris County, KS 35.5 Normal -0.1
Hamilton County, IL 35.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Garfield 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

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Legal aid organizations serving Garfield 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 Garfield County, Nebraska?

    Garfield County has a County Distress Index score of 35.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,447th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Garfield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Garfield County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 69.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Garfield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Garfield County (35.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Loup County, NE (30.6); Valley County, NE (29.6); Wheeler County, NE (27.3).

  • 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). Garfield County's score of 35.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Garfield 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 Garfield County?

    Garfield County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 1,763 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.