Brown County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.3 | 2,853 people · 22nd most distressed in Nebraska
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Brown County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.3 — 2048th 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 22nd of 93 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Brown County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 60.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 60.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 53
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34
Income & Poverty 46.9
Poverty Rate 34
Income vs. State Median 73
Child Poverty Rate 34
Employment & Wages 43.8
Unemployment Rate 6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 77
Community Vulnerability 38.9
Uninsured Rate 35
Disability Rate 43
Debt & Delinquency 31.7
Debt in Collections 33
Medical Debt 53
Student Loan Delinquency 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Brown County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Brown County
Brown County, NE 44.3 Normal —
Loup County, NE 46.1 Normal +1.8
Blaine County, NE 43.6 Normal -0.7
Cherry County, NE 39.7 Normal -4.6
Keya Paha County, NE 38.4 Normal -5.9
Rock County, NE 33.4 Healthy -11.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Brown County
Lincoln County, ID 44.3 Normal 0.0
Lexington city, VA 44.3 Normal -0.0
Kent County, TX 44.3 Normal -0.0
Lincoln County, KS 44.2 Normal -0.1
Ochiltree County, TX 44.2 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brown 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 Brown 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 Brown County, Nebraska?

    Brown County has a County Distress Index score of 44.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,048th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brown County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brown County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 60.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Brown County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brown County (44.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Loup County, NE (46.1); Blaine County, NE (43.6); Cherry County, NE (39.7).

  • 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 Brown County?

    Brown County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 2,853 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.