Sedgwick County, Colorado

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.0 | 2,299 people · 8th most distressed in Colorado
American Default Research

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Sedgwick County, CO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.0 — 1146th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Colorado, it ranks 8th of 64 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sedgwick County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 70.5 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 70.5
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Housing Cost Burden 69.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 61
Legal Distress 68.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Economic Vitality 64.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 84
Consumer Credit Distress 44.2
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 52
Subprime Credit Population 32

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sedgwick County
Sedgwick County, CO 57.0 Elevated —
Logan County, CO 44.4 Normal -12.6
Cheyenne County, NE 41.2 Normal -15.8
Deuel County, NE 32.1 Healthy -24.8
Phillips County, CO 28.1 Healthy -28.8
Perkins County, NE 23.3 Healthy -33.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sedgwick County
Oscoda County, MI 57.0 Elevated 0.0
Tyrrell County, NC 57.1 Elevated +0.1
Pulaski County, IL 56.8 Elevated -0.2
Montmorency County, MI 56.8 Elevated -0.2
Cumberland County, VA 56.7 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sedgwick County

Find an Attorney

Colorado Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Colorado Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 303-831-8000

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Sedgwick County residents at no cost.

Colorado Legal Services 303-837-1313 (Denver); 1-866-529-6257 (statewide)
Colorado Volunteer Lawyer Resource (CVLR) 303-722-0300
Colorado Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 303-831-8000 (Denver); 1-800-332-6736 (statewide)

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Sedgwick County, Colorado?

    Sedgwick County has a County Distress Index score of 57.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,146th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Colorado out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sedgwick County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sedgwick County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 70.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Sedgwick County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sedgwick County (57.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Logan County, CO (44.4); Cheyenne County, NE (41.2); Deuel County, NE (32.1).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Sedgwick County's score of 57.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Sedgwick County's CDI score?

    Sedgwick County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Sedgwick County?

    Sedgwick County, Colorado has a population of approximately 2,299 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.