Anderson County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.8 | 7,838 people · 35th most distressed in Kansas
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Anderson County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.8 — 2079th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Kansas, it ranks 35th of 105 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Anderson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 48.5 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 48.5
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 59
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 47
Structural Poverty 44.9
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 34
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 39
Disability Rate 55
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Housing Cost Burden 37.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 11
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 14
Economic Vitality 27.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 12
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 77
Legal Distress 23.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Anderson County
Anderson County, KS 41.8 Normal —
Franklin County, KS 59.1 Elevated +17.3
Bourbon County, KS 58.0 Elevated +16.2
Linn County, KS 50.9 Elevated +9.1
Allen County, KS 49.4 Normal +7.6
Woodson County, KS 44.6 Normal +2.8
Miami County, KS 36.5 Normal -5.4
Coffey County, KS 32.2 Healthy -9.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Anderson County
Greenlee County, AZ 41.7 Normal -0.1
Kusilvak Census Area, AK 41.9 Normal +0.1
Clarke County, IA 41.9 Normal +0.1
Mellette County, SD 42.0 Normal +0.2
Doniphan County, KS 42.0 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

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Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral 785-234-5696

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Anderson County, Kansas?

    Anderson County has a County Distress Index score of 41.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,079th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Anderson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Anderson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 48.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Anderson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Anderson County (41.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Franklin County, KS (59.1); Bourbon County, KS (58.0); Linn County, KS (50.9).

  • 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 Normal 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). Anderson County's score of 41.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Anderson 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 Anderson County?

    Anderson County, Kansas has a population of approximately 7,838 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.