Harlan County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.1 | 3,045 people · 62nd most distressed in Nebraska
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Harlan County, NE ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.1 — 2796th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where health coverage gaps and disability rates are moderately elevated. Within Nebraska, it ranks 62nd of 93 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Harlan County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 55.9 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 55.9
Uninsured Rate 53
Disability Rate 59
Employment & Wages 33.7
Unemployment Rate 5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 42
Income & Poverty 33.5
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 21
Housing Cost Burden 22.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 25
Homeownership Rate 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 21
Debt & Delinquency 15.0
Debt in Collections 11
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Harlan County
Harlan County, NE 32.1 Healthy —
Norton County, KS 50.0 Elevated +18.0
Furnas County, NE 42.6 Normal +10.5
Franklin County, NE 38.2 Normal +6.2
Phillips County, KS 33.5 Healthy +1.5
Kearney County, NE 25.7 Healthy -6.3
Phelps County, NE 24.6 Healthy -7.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Harlan County
Rio Blanco County, CO 32.1 Healthy -0.0
King County, TX 32.1 Healthy +0.0
Sublette County, WY 32.0 Healthy -0.0
Logan County, ND 32.1 Healthy +0.1
Glasscock County, TX 31.9 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Harlan 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 Harlan County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of Nebraska 1-877-250-2016

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 Nebraska →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Harlan County, Nebraska?

    Harlan County has a County Distress Index score of 32.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,796th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 62nd in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Harlan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Harlan County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 55.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Harlan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Harlan County (32.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Norton County, KS (50.0); Furnas County, NE (42.6); Franklin County, NE (38.2).

  • 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 Harlan County?

    Harlan County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 3,045 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.