In Humboldt County, Nevada, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in six dollars of the typical household's income
In Humboldt County, 17.5% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 82% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 69% of U.S. counties.
What drives Humboldt County's score
In Humboldt County, collections and bankruptcy is the highest-scoring part, at 56.0. Housing costs are the lowest part, at 28.8.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Humboldt County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Humboldt County isn't among the worst-off quarter of U.S. counties on any measure.
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 56.0 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Biggest factorCredit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector27.8% · August 202567th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people116.7 · 202544th percentile
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- 37.6 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind5.8% · August 202555th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind2.5% · August 20258th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score39.7% · second quarter of 202648th percentile
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- 37.2 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year3.4% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202629th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working19.8% · 2020 to 202444th percentile
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- 34.0 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line10.6% · 202427th percentile
- Children below the poverty line14.5% · 202436th percentile
- People with a disability14.5% · 2020 to 202435th percentile
- People without health insurance8.7% · 2020 to 202457th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$85,433 · 202413th percentile
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- 28.8 of 100
Housing costs
Renters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent16.5% · 2020 to 202440th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income17.5% · fiscal year 202717th percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Humboldt County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Humboldt County, 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Humboldt County
Nevada
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Humboldt County, benefit checks' share of income has tripled since 1969, reaching 19.5% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in more than three times as much as benefit checks
In Humboldt County, Nevada, benefit checks' share of income tripled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 19.5%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Humboldt County getting SNAP food aid had its largest rise, from 5.2% in 2010 to 8.3% in 2011.
The share of households in Humboldt County getting SNAP food aid tripled from 2009 to 2024, reaching 11.3%
High on the chart: 11.4% in 2022. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Humboldt County, Nevada.
How Humboldt County has changed
Humboldt County's population had its largest rise, from 8,647 in 1979 to 11,002 in 1984.
Humboldt County's population more than doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 17,116
High on the chart: 17,368 in 2014. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Humboldt County, Nevada.
The jobs count covers work located in the county; the population count covers residents.
The number of jobs located in Humboldt County rose by about a third to 7,963, the highest on the chart, with most of the change between 1990 and 1995
Biggest rise: 1990 to 1995, reaching 7,746. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Humboldt County, Nevada.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 5.3% | 2025 3.8% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 10.4% | 2024 10.6% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $31,601 | 2024 $85,433 |
The table uses 3.8% for 2025; the score uses 3.4% for the latest year (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026), both from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Humboldt County's history
2017
A flood in February 2017 did $3 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2020
The county's largest recorded population was the 2020 Census count of 17,285, which is also its most recent census. Census Bureau
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Since 1977
8 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Humboldt County, 2 of them for flooding. FEMA
Humboldt County beside its neighbors
Of the seven counties that border Humboldt County, in Nevada, Oregon and Idaho, six score higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, Humboldt County ranks 5th of the eight; Malheur County is highest, at 40.2%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malheur County, OR | 61 | 18.5% | 40.2% |
| Owyhee County, ID | 56 | 13.2% | 21.5% |
| Harney County, OR | 54 | 14.3% | 32.4% |
| Washoe County, NV | 51 | 9.4% | 13.5% |
| Lander County, NV | 49 | 10.9% | 13.9% |
| Pershing County, NV | 44 | 18.3% | 27.0% |
| Humboldt County, NV | 30 | 10.6% | 19.5% |
| Elko County, NV | 27 | 9.5% | 15.7% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Humboldt County the poorest county in Nevada?
No, Humboldt County's poverty rate was 10.6% in 2024, 12th highest of 17 in Nevada (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Pershing County, at 18.3%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Humboldt County ranks 15th of 17 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Humboldt County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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Northern Nevada Legal Aid
Legal aid
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Nevada Legal Services
Legal aid
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Download the CSV for Humboldt County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Humboldt County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.