Clark County, Nevada

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.5 | 2,336,573 people · 1st most distressed in Nevada
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Clark County is Las Vegas. Two and a third million people in a desert metro built on tourism, construction, and service work. The county scores 65.6 — Serious zone, 465th nationally. But the number that defines the distress profile isn't the composite. It's the bankruptcy filing rate: 93.6th percentile. Nearly the highest in the country. Debt & Delinquency registers at 78.7, with credit card and auto loan delinquency both approaching the 79th percentile. Every debt category runs hot. The structural pattern is a workforce concentrated in industries that pay hourly wages and offer limited benefits. Unemployment rate registers at the 84.6th percentile. Uninsured rate sits at the 77.5th percentile. Housing Cost Burden scores 92.3, with rent-to-income at the 90.5th percentile. The county grew fast through the housing boom, cratered during the GFC, rebuilt on the same foundation, and is now showing the same debt signatures. Income & Poverty scores a moderate 48.0. People are earning. The money just doesn't stay. Every neighboring county scores worse or nearly as bad. Mohave County, AZ sits at 68.3 (Serious). Nye County hits 67.4. Clark County is the economic anchor of the region, and the anchor itself is in the Serious zone.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clark County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 94.0 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 94.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 95
Legal Distress 93.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Consumer Credit Distress 76.5
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 77
Economic Vitality 71.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Structural Poverty 41.6
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clark County
Clark County, NV 76.5 Serious —
San Bernardino County, CA 68.7 Serious -7.8
Nye County, NV 66.0 Serious -10.5
Mohave County, AZ 64.7 Elevated -11.8
Lincoln County, NV 46.2 Normal -30.2
Inyo County, CA 34.9 Healthy -41.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clark County
Wayne County, MI 76.2 Serious -0.3
Duval County, FL 77.4 Serious +1.0
Orange County, FL 73.9 Serious -2.6
Dallas County, TX 73.7 Serious -2.8
Philadelphia County, PA 73.5 Serious -2.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clark County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Clark County.

CHICANOS POR LA CAUSA INC.
Las Vegas
702-207-1614
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase
COMMUNITY SERVICES OF NEVADA (CSNV)
Las Vegas
702-307-1710 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
CREDIT.ORG - HENDERSON BRANCH
Henderson
702-389-6427 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
NAVICORE SOLUTIONS- HENDERSON, NV
Henderson
866-472-4557 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF SOUTHERN NEVADA
North Las Vegas
702-649-0998 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase

See all counselors in Nevada →

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Nevada Lawyer Referral and Information Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Nevada Lawyer Referral and Information Service 702-382-0504

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Clark County residents at no cost.

Nevada Legal Services 702-386-0404 (Las Vegas); 775-284-3491 (Reno)
Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada 702-386-1070
Washoe Legal Services 775-329-2727
State Bar of Nevada Lawyer Referral Service 702-382-0504

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Nevada →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Clark County, Nevada?

    Clark County has a County Distress Index score of 76.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 142nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Nevada out of 17 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clark County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clark County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 94.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Clark County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clark County (76.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: San Bernardino County, CA (68.7); Nye County, NV (66.0); Mohave County, AZ (64.7).

  • 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 Serious 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). Clark County's score of 76.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Clark 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 Clark County?

    Clark County, Nevada has a population of approximately 2,336,573 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.