Phelps County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Healthy · 24.6 | 9,057 people · 82nd most distressed in Nebraska
American Default Research

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

Phelps County, NE ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 24.6 — 3040th 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 82nd of 93 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Phelps County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 50.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 50.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 65
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 45
Homeownership Rate 71
Rent-to-Income Ratio 8
Community Vulnerability 23.7
Uninsured Rate 27
Disability Rate 20
Debt & Delinquency 20.5
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 22
Student Loan Delinquency 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 9
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48
Income & Poverty 17.1
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 11
Employment & Wages 11.4
Unemployment Rate 5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Business Formation Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Phelps County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Phelps County
Phelps County, NE 24.6 Healthy —
Furnas County, NE 42.6 Normal +18.0
Dawson County, NE 39.0 Normal +14.4
Franklin County, NE 38.2 Normal +13.6
Buffalo County, NE 34.1 Healthy +9.4
Harlan County, NE 32.1 Healthy +7.4
Gosper County, NE 28.4 Healthy +3.7
Kearney County, NE 25.7 Healthy +1.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Phelps County
Crook County, WY 24.5 Healthy -0.1
Turner County, SD 24.5 Healthy -0.1
Rock County, MN 24.8 Healthy +0.2
Dixon County, NE 24.2 Healthy -0.4
Gray County, KS 24.2 Healthy -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Phelps 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 Phelps 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 Phelps County, Nebraska?

    Phelps County has a County Distress Index score of 24.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,040th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 82nd in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Phelps County?

    The primary driver of distress in Phelps County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 50.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Phelps County compare to neighboring counties?

    Phelps County (24.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Furnas County, NE (42.6); Dawson County, NE (39.0); 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 Phelps County?

    Phelps County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 9,057 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.