Adams County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.7 | 30,899 people · 34th most distressed in Nebraska
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Adams County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.7 — 2311th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Nebraska, it ranks 34th of 93 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Adams County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 59.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 59.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 14
Employment & Wages 47.7
Unemployment Rate 27
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Business Formation Rate 93
Debt & Delinquency 36.6
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 34
Student Loan Delinquency 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 34
Credit Card Delinquency 24
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Income & Poverty 34.1
Poverty Rate 37
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 22
Community Vulnerability 25.8
Uninsured Rate 22
Disability Rate 29

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Adams County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Adams County
Adams County, NE 40.7 Normal —
Hall County, NE 51.0 Elevated +10.3
Webster County, NE 36.4 Normal -4.4
Buffalo County, NE 34.1 Healthy -6.6
Kearney County, NE 25.7 Healthy -15.0
Clay County, NE 23.8 Healthy -16.9
Hamilton County, NE 17.5 Healthy -23.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Adams County
Nelson County, VA 40.7 Normal +0.0
Ford County, KS 40.7 Normal -0.0
Kandiyohi County, MN 40.8 Normal +0.1
Wyoming County, PA 40.8 Normal +0.1
Harvey County, KS 40.8 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Adams County

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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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Adams 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 Adams County, Nebraska?

    Adams County has a County Distress Index score of 40.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,311th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Adams County?

    The primary driver of distress in Adams County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 59.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Adams County compare to neighboring counties?

    Adams County (40.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hall County, NE (51.0); Webster County, NE (36.4); Buffalo County, NE (34.1).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Adams County?

    Adams County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 30,899 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.