Seward County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Healthy · 24.3 | 17,671 people · 83rd most distressed in Nebraska
American Default Research

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

Seward County, NE ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 24.2 — 3049th 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 83rd 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. Seward County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 42.1 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 42.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Employment & Wages 36.0
Unemployment Rate 6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 77
Debt & Delinquency 21.0
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 20
Student Loan Delinquency 6
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 30
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10
Community Vulnerability 14.4
Uninsured Rate 18
Disability Rate 11
Income & Poverty 7.8
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Seward County
Seward County, NE 24.3 Healthy —
Saline County, NE 36.4 Normal +12.1
Lancaster County, NE 35.2 Normal +11.0
York County, NE 29.4 Healthy +5.2
Butler County, NE 27.0 Healthy +2.8
Fillmore County, NE 23.2 Healthy -1.1
Polk County, NE 23.1 Healthy -1.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Seward County
Woodford County, IL 24.1 Healthy -0.2
Pottawatomie County, KS 24.5 Healthy +0.3
Pitkin County, CO 24.5 Healthy +0.3
Marion County, IA 23.9 Healthy -0.3
Washington County, NE 23.9 Healthy -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Seward 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 Seward 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 Seward County, Nebraska?

    Seward County has a County Distress Index score of 24.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,049th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 83rd in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Seward County?

    The primary driver of distress in Seward County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 42.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Seward County compare to neighboring counties?

    Seward County (24.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Saline County, NE (36.4); Lancaster County, NE (35.2); York County, NE (29.4).

  • 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 Seward County?

    Seward County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 17,671 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.