McPherson County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Healthy · 29.1 | 383 people · 53rd most distressed in Nebraska
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McPherson County, NE ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 29.1 — 2799th 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 53rd 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. McPherson County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 65.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 65.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 44
Structural Poverty 45.3
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 22
Legal Distress 44.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 44
Housing Cost Burden 22.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 57
Consumer Credit Distress 18.1
Debt in Collections 17
Medical Debt 29
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 29
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McPherson County
McPherson County, NE 29.1 Healthy —
Lincoln County, NE 45.2 Normal +16.1
Keith County, NE 38.9 Normal +9.8
Hooker County, NE 33.4 Healthy +4.3
Logan County, NE 31.9 Healthy +2.8
Arthur County, NE 31.4 Healthy +2.3
Thomas County, NE 30.6 Healthy +1.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McPherson County
Boise County, ID 29.1 Healthy +0.0
Haines Borough, AK 29.2 Healthy +0.1
Lipscomb County, TX 29.0 Healthy -0.1
Morton County, KS 28.9 Healthy -0.2
Phelps County, NE 28.9 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in McPherson 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 McPherson 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 McPherson County, Nebraska?

    McPherson County has a County Distress Index score of 29.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,799th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McPherson County?

    The primary driver of distress in McPherson County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 65.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does McPherson County compare to neighboring counties?

    McPherson County (29.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Lincoln County, NE (45.2); Keith County, NE (38.9); Hooker County, NE (33.4).

  • 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). McPherson County's score of 29.1 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    McPherson 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 McPherson County?

    McPherson County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 383 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.