Red Willow County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.3 | 10,457 people · 8th most distressed in Nebraska
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Red Willow County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.3 — 1823rd 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 8th 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. Red Willow County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 79.5 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 79.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Housing Cost Burden 76.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 56
Structural Poverty 41.7
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 33
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 26
Disability Rate 50
Transfer Income Dependency 44
Economic Vitality 41.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 44
Rent-to-Income Ratio 28
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 31
Consumer Credit Distress 29.5
Debt in Collections 26
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Red Willow County
Red Willow County, NE 46.3 Normal —
Furnas County, NE 40.2 Normal -6.1
Hitchcock County, NE 37.4 Normal -9.0
Decatur County, KS 35.9 Normal -10.4
Frontier County, NE 30.9 Healthy -15.5
Rawlins County, KS 28.3 Healthy -18.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Red Willow County
Cass County, IA 46.3 Normal -0.0
Missaukee County, MI 46.3 Normal -0.0
Parke County, IN 46.4 Normal +0.1
Bandera County, TX 46.3 Normal -0.1
Kent County, MD 46.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Red Willow County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Red Willow 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 Red Willow 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 Red Willow County, Nebraska?

    Red Willow County has a County Distress Index score of 46.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,823rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Red Willow County?

    The primary driver of distress in Red Willow County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 79.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Red Willow County compare to neighboring counties?

    Red Willow County (46.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Furnas County, NE (40.2); Hitchcock County, NE (37.4); Decatur County, KS (35.9).

  • 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). Red Willow County's score of 46.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Red Willow County's CDI score?

    Red Willow 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 Red Willow County?

    Red Willow County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 10,457 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.