Esmeralda County, Nevada

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.7 | 736 people · 2nd most distressed in Nevada
American Default Research

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Esmeralda County, NV shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.7 — 508th 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 Nevada, it ranks 2nd of 17 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Esmeralda County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 89.7 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 89.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 46
Homeownership Rate 95
Legal Distress 87.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Economic Vitality 82.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 66
Structural Poverty 73.3
Unemployment Rate 94
Poverty Rate 60
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 50
Consumer Credit Distress 49.8
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 81
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Uninsured Rate 39
Subprime Credit Population 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Esmeralda County
Esmeralda County, NV 67.7 Serious —
Nye County, NV 66.0 Serious -1.7
Mineral County, NV 60.3 Elevated -7.5
Inyo County, CA 34.9 Healthy -32.9
Mono County, CA 31.6 Healthy -36.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Esmeralda County
Clinton County, KY 67.8 Serious +0.0
Warren County, GA 67.7 Serious -0.1
Twiggs County, GA 67.6 Serious -0.1
Wilcox County, GA 67.6 Serious -0.2
Hyde County, NC 68.1 Serious +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Esmeralda County

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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 Esmeralda 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Esmeralda County has a County Distress Index score of 67.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 508th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Nevada out of 17 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Esmeralda County?

    The primary driver of distress in Esmeralda County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 89.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Esmeralda County compare to neighboring counties?

    Esmeralda County (67.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Nye County, NV (66.0); Mineral County, NV (60.3); Inyo County, CA (34.9).

  • 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 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). Esmeralda County's score of 67.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Esmeralda 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 Esmeralda County?

    Esmeralda County, Nevada has a population of approximately 736 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.