Cherokee County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.0 | 19,054 people · 14th most distressed in Kansas
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Cherokee County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.0 — 1520th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Kansas, it ranks 14th of 105 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cherokee County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 60.2 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 60.2
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 75
Child Poverty Rate 60
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 48
Consumer Credit Distress 59.0
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 65
Subprime Credit Population 74
Housing Cost Burden 50.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 15
Homeownership Rate 60
Legal Distress 21.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21
Economic Vitality 21.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cherokee County
Cherokee County, KS 51.0 Elevated —
Ottawa County, OK 71.5 Serious +20.4
Jasper County, MO 66.8 Serious +15.7
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated +13.4
Craig County, OK 57.7 Elevated +6.7
Labette County, KS 55.7 Elevated +4.6
Newton County, MO 45.6 Normal -5.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cherokee County
Montgomery County, NC 51.0 Elevated -0.0
Cortland County, NY 51.0 Elevated -0.1
Jackson County, IN 51.1 Elevated +0.1
Montgomery County, IA 51.0 Elevated -0.1
Appanoose County, IA 51.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Cherokee County has a County Distress Index score of 51.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,520th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cherokee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cherokee County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 60.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Cherokee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cherokee County (51.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Ottawa County, OK (71.5); Jasper County, MO (66.8); Crawford County, KS (64.4).

  • 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). Cherokee County's score of 51.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cherokee 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 Cherokee County?

    Cherokee County, Kansas has a population of approximately 19,054 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.