Cowley County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.4 | 34,157 people · 12th most distressed in Kansas
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Cowley County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.4 — 1491st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Kansas, it ranks 12th of 105 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cowley County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 62.5 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 62.5
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 69
Child Poverty Rate 62
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 64
Housing Cost Burden 62.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 69
Legal Distress 54.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 55
Consumer Credit Distress 45.9
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 49
Credit Card Delinquency 36
Uninsured Rate 51
Subprime Credit Population 53
Economic Vitality 35.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 57

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cowley County
Cowley County, KS 51.4 Elevated —
Kay County, OK 66.0 Serious +14.6
Osage County, OK 62.7 Elevated +11.3
Sedgwick County, KS 52.2 Elevated +0.8
Elk County, KS 48.0 Normal -3.4
Chautauqua County, KS 46.0 Normal -5.4
Sumner County, KS 45.2 Normal -6.2
Butler County, KS 42.3 Normal -9.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cowley County
Jay County, IN 51.4 Elevated +0.0
Henry County, IN 51.4 Elevated -0.0
Silver Bow County, MT 51.3 Elevated -0.1
Noble County, OK 51.3 Elevated -0.1
Clinton County, PA 51.3 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Cowley 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 Cowley County, Kansas?

    Cowley County has a County Distress Index score of 51.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,491st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cowley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cowley County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 62.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Cowley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cowley County (51.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Kay County, OK (66.0); Osage County, OK (62.7); Sedgwick County, KS (52.2).

  • 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). Cowley County's score of 51.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cowley 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 Cowley County?

    Cowley County, Kansas has a population of approximately 34,157 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.