Barber County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.8 | 4,071 people · 73rd most distressed in Kansas
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Barber County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.8 — 2716th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Kansas, it ranks 73rd 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. Barber County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 52.0 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 52.0
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 35
Income vs. State Median 62
Child Poverty Rate 42
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 67
Economic Vitality 41.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 17
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 86
Consumer Credit Distress 33.3
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 16
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 39
Subprime Credit Population 28
Housing Cost Burden 14.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 25
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 15
Homeownership Rate 13
Legal Distress 9.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Barber County
Barber County, KS 30.8 Healthy —
Woods County, OK 50.4 Elevated +19.6
Alfalfa County, OK 47.6 Normal +16.9
Comanche County, KS 46.1 Normal +15.4
Harper County, KS 39.0 Normal +8.2
Kingman County, KS 32.4 Healthy +1.7
Kiowa County, KS 30.6 Healthy -0.2
Pratt County, KS 30.4 Healthy -0.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Barber County
Hodgeman County, KS 30.8 Healthy +0.0
Frontier County, NE 30.9 Healthy +0.1
Wilkin County, MN 30.6 Healthy -0.2
Kiowa County, KS 30.6 Healthy -0.2
Loup County, NE 30.6 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Barber County has a County Distress Index score of 30.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,716th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 73rd in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Barber County?

    The primary driver of distress in Barber County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 52.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Barber County compare to neighboring counties?

    Barber County (30.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Woods County, OK (50.4); Alfalfa County, OK (47.6); Comanche County, KS (46.1).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Barber County's score of 30.8 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Barber 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 Barber County?

    Barber County, Kansas has a population of approximately 4,071 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.