Clay County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.9 | 8,007 people · 45th most distressed in Kansas
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Clay County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.9 — 2264th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filings are moderately elevated. Within Kansas, it ranks 45th of 105 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clay County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 59.8 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 59.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Economic Vitality 52.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 13
Business Formation Rate 79
House Price Change (YoY) 10
Housing Cost Burden 51.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 56
Structural Poverty 41.8
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 33
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 56
Consumer Credit Distress 26.2
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 32
Auto Loan Delinquency 33
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Uninsured Rate 36
Subprime Credit Population 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Clay County, KS 38.9 Normal —
Geary County, KS 66.4 Serious +27.5
Riley County, KS 50.0 Elevated +11.1
Dickinson County, KS 46.1 Normal +7.3
Ottawa County, KS 39.8 Normal +0.9
Cloud County, KS 36.5 Normal -2.4
Washington County, KS 21.3 Healthy -17.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Keith County, NE 38.9 Normal +0.0
Maries County, MO 38.9 Normal +0.0
Aleutians East Borough, AK 38.8 Normal -0.1
Harper County, KS 39.0 Normal +0.1
Sherman County, TX 39.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clay County

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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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Clay County residents at no cost.

Kansas Legal Services 1-800-723-6953

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Clay County has a County Distress Index score of 38.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,264th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clay County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 59.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Clay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clay County (38.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Geary County, KS (66.4); Riley County, KS (50.0); Dickinson 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 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). Clay County's score of 38.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Clay 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 Clay County?

    Clay County, Kansas has a population of approximately 8,007 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.