Hamilton County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Healthy · 17.5 | 9,537 people · 93rd most distressed in Nebraska
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Hamilton County, NE ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 17.5 — 3133rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Nebraska, it ranks 93rd of 93 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hamilton County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 27.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 27.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 7
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Employment & Wages 18.4
Unemployment Rate 6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Business Formation Rate 37
Community Vulnerability 17.6
Uninsured Rate 27
Disability Rate 8
Debt & Delinquency 16.3
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 22
Student Loan Delinquency 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Income & Poverty 7.8
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hamilton County
Hamilton County, NE 17.5 Healthy —
Hall County, NE 51.0 Elevated +33.5
Adams County, NE 40.7 Normal +23.2
Merrick County, NE 33.5 Healthy +16.0
York County, NE 29.4 Healthy +11.9
Clay County, NE 23.8 Healthy +6.3
Polk County, NE 23.1 Healthy +5.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hamilton County
Billings County, ND 17.3 Healthy -0.2
Cavalier County, ND 17.1 Healthy -0.4
Hamlin County, SD 18.3 Healthy +0.8
Steele County, ND 16.7 Healthy -0.8
LaMoure County, ND 18.7 Healthy +1.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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 Hamilton County, Nebraska?

    Hamilton County has a County Distress Index score of 17.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,133rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 93rd in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hamilton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hamilton County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 27.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hamilton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hamilton County (17.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hall County, NE (51.0); Adams County, NE (40.7); Merrick County, NE (33.5).

  • 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 Hamilton County?

    Hamilton County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 9,537 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.