Wayne County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.0 | 9,874 people · 45th most distressed in Nebraska
American Default Research

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Wayne County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.0 — 2480th 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 45th of 93 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Wayne County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 61.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 61.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Employment & Wages 53.4
Unemployment Rate 10
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 95
Income & Poverty 30.0
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 39
Child Poverty Rate 11
Community Vulnerability 28.9
Uninsured Rate 19
Disability Rate 39
Debt & Delinquency 16.6
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 35
Student Loan Delinquency 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 7
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Wayne County
Wayne County, NE 38.0 Normal —
Thurston County, NE 51.8 Elevated +13.8
Madison County, NE 35.7 Normal -2.3
Stanton County, NE 26.3 Healthy -11.7
Cuming County, NE 25.5 Healthy -12.5
Dixon County, NE 24.2 Healthy -13.7
Cedar County, NE 23.5 Healthy -14.5
Pierce County, NE 23.3 Healthy -14.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Wayne County
Union County, IN 38.0 Normal +0.0
Moore County, TN 37.9 Normal -0.1
Cameron Parish, LA 38.1 Normal +0.1
Atchison County, MO 37.9 Normal -0.1
Calhoun County, IL 38.1 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wayne 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 Wayne 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 Wayne County, Nebraska?

    Wayne County has a County Distress Index score of 38.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,480th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wayne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wayne County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 61.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Wayne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wayne County (38.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Thurston County, NE (51.8); Madison County, NE (35.7); Stanton County, NE (26.3).

  • 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 Wayne County?

    Wayne County, Nebraska has a population of approximately 9,874 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.