Holt County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Healthy · 17.7 | 10,093 people · 91st most distressed in Nebraska
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Holt County, NE ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 17.7 — 3108th 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 91st of 93 counties. It scores lower than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Holt County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 35.0 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 35.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 42
Rent-to-Income Ratio 16
Business Formation Rate 62
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Structural Poverty 32.7
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 36
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 32
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 36
Housing Cost Burden 18.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 8
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 43
Homeownership Rate 58
Consumer Credit Distress 10.9
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 40
Subprime Credit Population 12
Legal Distress 9.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Holt County
Holt County, NE 17.7 Healthy —
Boyd County, NE 37.0 Normal +19.3
Garfield County, NE 35.6 Normal +17.9
Loup County, NE 30.6 Healthy +12.8
Keya Paha County, NE 28.0 Healthy +10.2
Wheeler County, NE 27.3 Healthy +9.5
Antelope County, NE 25.8 Healthy +8.0
Rock County, NE 25.3 Healthy +7.6
Knox County, NE 23.3 Healthy +5.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Holt County
Bremer County, IA 17.8 Healthy +0.0
Mitchell County, IA 17.5 Healthy -0.2
Goochland County, VA 17.9 Healthy +0.2
Butler County, IA 18.1 Healthy +0.4
Sioux County, IA 18.1 Healthy +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Holt 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 Holt 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 Holt County, Nebraska?

    Holt County has a County Distress Index score of 17.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,108th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 91st in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Holt County?

    The primary driver of distress in Holt County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 35.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Holt County compare to neighboring counties?

    Holt County (17.7) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Boyd County, NE (37.0); Garfield County, NE (35.6); Loup County, NE (30.6).

  • 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). Holt County's score of 17.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Holt 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 Holt County?

    Holt County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 10,093 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.