Pawnee County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.8 | 2,512 people · 27th most distressed in Nebraska
American Default Research

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Pawnee County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.8 — 2432nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Nebraska, it ranks 27th of 93 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pawnee County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 83.3 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 83.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Structural Poverty 59.3
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 84
Child Poverty Rate 62
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Economic Vitality 48.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 44
Housing Cost Burden 28.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 33
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 15
Consumer Credit Distress 22.5
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pawnee County
Pawnee County, NE 35.8 Normal —
Johnson County, NE 46.3 Normal +10.5
Marshall County, KS 39.1 Normal +3.3
Gage County, NE 37.5 Normal +1.7
Nemaha County, NE 34.3 Healthy -1.4
Richardson County, NE 32.3 Healthy -3.5
Nemaha County, KS 15.1 Healthy -20.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pawnee County
Warren County, IN 35.8 Normal -0.0
Hamilton County, IL 35.7 Normal -0.0
Gentry County, MO 35.7 Normal -0.0
Granite County, MT 35.8 Normal +0.0
Keweenaw County, MI 35.8 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pawnee County

Find an Attorney

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 Pawnee 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 Pawnee County, Nebraska?

    Pawnee County has a County Distress Index score of 35.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,432nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pawnee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pawnee County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 83.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Pawnee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pawnee County (35.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Johnson County, NE (46.3); Marshall County, KS (39.1); Gage County, NE (37.5).

  • 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). Pawnee County's score of 35.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Pawnee 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 Pawnee County?

    Pawnee County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 2,512 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.