Bourbon County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.0 | 14,408 people · 6th most distressed in Kansas
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Bourbon County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.0 — 1075th 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 Kansas, it ranks 6th of 105 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bourbon County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 71.4 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 71.4
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 64
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 74
Transfer Income Dependency 63
Consumer Credit Distress 69.2
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Uninsured Rate 47
Subprime Credit Population 53
Economic Vitality 53.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 40
Housing Cost Burden 37.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 6
Homeownership Rate 57
Legal Distress 27.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bourbon County
Bourbon County, KS 58.0 Elevated —
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated +6.4
Neosho County, KS 56.0 Elevated -2.0
Vernon County, MO 53.1 Elevated -4.9
Linn County, KS 50.9 Elevated -7.1
Allen County, KS 49.4 Normal -8.6
Anderson County, KS 41.8 Normal -16.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bourbon County
Jefferson County, OR 58.0 Elevated -0.0
Abbeville County, SC 58.0 Elevated +0.0
Pettis County, MO 58.0 Elevated -0.0
Williamsburg city, VA 58.0 Elevated +0.0
Cass County, IN 58.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Bourbon 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 Bourbon County, Kansas?

    Bourbon County has a County Distress Index score of 58.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,075th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bourbon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bourbon County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 71.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Bourbon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bourbon County (58.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Crawford County, KS (64.4); Neosho County, KS (56.0); Vernon County, MO (53.1).

  • 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). Bourbon County's score of 58.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Bourbon 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 Bourbon County?

    Bourbon County, Kansas has a population of approximately 14,408 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.