Thurston County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.5 | 6,557 people · 2nd most distressed in Nebraska
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Thurston County, NE registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.5 — 1304th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Nebraska, it ranks 2nd of 93 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Thurston County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 74.2 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 74.2
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 45
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 91
Structural Poverty 51.3
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 77
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 12
Transfer Income Dependency 33
Housing Cost Burden 31.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 92
Legal Distress 31.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32
Economic Vitality 31.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 90
House Price Change (YoY) 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Thurston County
Thurston County, NE 54.5 Elevated —
Woodbury County, IA 51.5 Elevated -3.0
Dakota County, NE 48.8 Normal -5.8
Monona County, IA 41.3 Normal -13.3
Wayne County, NE 31.6 Healthy -22.9
Burt County, NE 28.3 Healthy -26.2
Dixon County, NE 20.7 Healthy -33.8
Cuming County, NE 19.4 Healthy -35.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Thurston County
Runnels County, TX 54.5 Elevated -0.0
Richmond County, VA 54.5 Elevated +0.0
Crowley County, CO 54.5 Elevated -0.0
Fall River County, SD 54.4 Elevated -0.1
Reagan County, TX 54.4 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Thurston 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 Thurston 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 Thurston County, Nebraska?

    Thurston County has a County Distress Index score of 54.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,304th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Thurston County?

    The primary driver of distress in Thurston County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 74.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Thurston County compare to neighboring counties?

    Thurston County (54.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Woodbury County, IA (51.5); Dakota County, NE (48.8); Monona County, IA (41.3).

  • 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). Thurston County's score of 54.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Thurston 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 Thurston County?

    Thurston County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 6,557 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.