Atchison County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.0 | 16,016 people · 43rd most distressed in Kansas
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Atchison County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.0 — 2260th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency rates remain below the national norm. Within Kansas, it ranks 43rd of 105 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Atchison County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 42.2 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 42.3
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 20
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 55
Structural Poverty 41.9
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 38
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 49
Legal Distress 36.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36
Housing Cost Burden 35.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 27
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 40
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 55
Economic Vitality 27.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 6
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 88

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Atchison County
Atchison County, KS 39.0 Normal —
Buchanan County, MO 66.3 Serious +27.3
Leavenworth County, KS 43.1 Normal +4.1
Doniphan County, KS 42.0 Normal +3.1
Jackson County, KS 36.3 Normal -2.7
Platte County, MO 35.7 Normal -3.2
Brown County, KS 30.5 Healthy -8.5
Jefferson County, KS 29.1 Healthy -9.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Atchison County
Schuyler County, NY 39.0 Normal +0.0
Morgan County, IL 39.0 Normal +0.0
Sawyer County, WI 38.9 Normal -0.1
Trinity County, CA 39.2 Normal +0.2
Franklin County, ME 39.2 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

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

Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral 785-234-5696

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Kansas Legal Services 1-800-723-6953

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Atchison County has a County Distress Index score of 39.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,260th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Atchison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Atchison County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 42.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Atchison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Atchison County (39.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Buchanan County, MO (66.3); Leavenworth County, KS (43.1); Doniphan County, KS (42.0).

  • 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). Atchison County's score of 39.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Atchison 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 Atchison County?

    Atchison County, Kansas has a population of approximately 16,016 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.