Lancaster County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.2 | 326,716 people · 54th most distressed in Nebraska
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Lancaster County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.2 — 2642nd 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 Nebraska, it ranks 54th of 93 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lancaster County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 70.1 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 70.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Employment & Wages 31.4
Unemployment Rate 16
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Business Formation Rate 46
Debt & Delinquency 29.5
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 26
Student Loan Delinquency 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 29
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Community Vulnerability 23.5
Uninsured Rate 32
Disability Rate 15
Income & Poverty 21.5
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 30
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 Lancaster County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lancaster County
Lancaster County, NE 35.2 Normal —
Johnson County, NE 43.9 Normal +8.6
Gage County, NE 39.7 Normal +4.5
Saline County, NE 36.4 Normal +1.1
Cass County, NE 30.8 Healthy -4.4
Butler County, NE 27.0 Healthy -8.2
Otoe County, NE 26.4 Healthy -8.9
Seward County, NE 24.3 Healthy -11.0
Saunders County, NE 22.5 Healthy -12.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lancaster County
Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT 35.4 Normal +0.2
Placer County, CA 35.5 Normal +0.3
Cumberland County, PA 34.9 Healthy -0.4
Polk County, IA 35.8 Normal +0.6
Lake County, IL 34.6 Healthy -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lancaster County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Lancaster County.

NEIGHBORHOODS, INC. DBA NEIGHBORWORKS LINCOLN
Lincoln
402-477-7181 Website
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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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster County, Nebraska?

    Lancaster County has a County Distress Index score of 35.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,642nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lancaster County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lancaster County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 70.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lancaster County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lancaster County (35.2) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Johnson County, NE (43.9); Gage County, NE (39.7); Saline County, NE (36.4).

  • 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 Lancaster County?

    Lancaster County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 326,716 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.