Barton County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.6 | 24,899 people · 28th most distressed in Kansas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Barton County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.6 — 1867th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Kansas, it ranks 28th of 105 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Barton County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 54.6 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 54.6
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 56
Disability Rate 56
Transfer Income Dependency 40
Legal Distress 49.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 49
Housing Cost Burden 47.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 51
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 82
Consumer Credit Distress 44.9
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 73
Subprime Credit Population 25
Economic Vitality 29.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 17
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 89
House Price Change (YoY) 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Barton County
Barton County, KS 45.6 Normal —
Pawnee County, KS 41.3 Normal -4.3
Russell County, KS 36.9 Normal -8.7
Rice County, KS 35.6 Normal -10.0
Rush County, KS 33.8 Healthy -11.8
Stafford County, KS 33.1 Healthy -12.5
Ellsworth County, KS 26.3 Healthy -19.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Barton County
Middlesex County, VA 45.7 Normal +0.1
Transylvania County, NC 45.5 Normal -0.1
Pine County, MN 45.7 Normal +0.1
Owen County, IN 45.5 Normal -0.1
Jefferson County, PA 45.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Barton County

Find an Attorney

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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Barton County residents at no cost.

Kansas Legal Services 1-800-723-6953

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

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Kansas →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Barton County has a County Distress Index score of 45.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,867th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Barton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Barton County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 54.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Barton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Barton County (45.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pawnee County, KS (41.3); Russell County, KS (36.9); Rice County, KS (35.6).

  • 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). Barton County's score of 45.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Barton 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 Barton County?

    Barton County, Kansas has a population of approximately 24,899 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.