Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.6 | 35,699 people · 1st most distressed in Nebraska
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Scotts Bluff County, NE registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.6 — 1113th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Nebraska, it ranks 1st 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. Scotts Bluff County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 78.9 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 78.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 77
Legal Distress 57.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 57
Structural Poverty 55.0
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 41
Consumer Credit Distress 51.4
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 50
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 51
Economic Vitality 42.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 30
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 66
House Price Change (YoY) 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scotts Bluff County
Scotts Bluff County, NE 57.6 Elevated —
Box Butte County, NE 44.1 Normal -13.5
Goshen County, WY 41.1 Normal -16.5
Morrill County, NE 33.8 Healthy -23.8
Sioux County, NE 30.4 Healthy -27.2
Banner County, NE 29.4 Healthy -28.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scotts Bluff County
Greenup County, KY 57.6 Elevated 0.0
Morgan County, TN 57.6 Elevated -0.0
Hutchinson County, TX 57.6 Elevated +0.0
Pike County, GA 57.6 Elevated -0.0
Torrance County, NM 57.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Scotts Bluff County as a CSV file.

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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 Scotts Bluff 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 Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska?

    Scotts Bluff County has a County Distress Index score of 57.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,113th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scotts Bluff County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scotts Bluff County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 78.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Scotts Bluff County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scotts Bluff County (57.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Box Butte County, NE (44.1); Goshen County, WY (41.1); Morrill County, NE (33.8).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Scotts Bluff County's score of 57.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Scotts Bluff County's CDI score?

    Scotts Bluff 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 Scotts Bluff County?

    Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 35,699 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.