Crawford County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.4 | 38,764 people · 3rd most distressed in Kansas
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Crawford County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.4 — 678th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Kansas, it ranks 3rd of 105 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Crawford County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.1 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 93
Consumer Credit Distress 64.3
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 61
Structural Poverty 62.3
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 57
Disability Rate 54
Transfer Income Dependency 52
Economic Vitality 53.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Legal Distress 14.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Crawford County
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated —
Jasper County, MO 66.8 Serious +2.4
Bourbon County, KS 58.0 Elevated -6.4
Neosho County, KS 56.0 Elevated -8.4
Labette County, KS 55.7 Elevated -8.8
Vernon County, MO 53.1 Elevated -11.3
Barton County, MO 51.6 Elevated -12.8
Cherokee County, KS 51.0 Elevated -13.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Crawford County
Jefferson County, FL 64.4 Elevated +0.0
Walthall County, MS 64.4 Elevated -0.0
Milam County, TX 64.4 Elevated -0.0
Henry County, VA 64.4 Elevated -0.0
Macon County, TN 64.4 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Crawford County has a County Distress Index score of 64.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 678th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Crawford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Crawford County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Crawford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Crawford County (64.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jasper County, MO (66.8); Bourbon County, KS (58.0); Neosho County, KS (56.0).

  • 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). Crawford County's score of 64.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Crawford 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 Crawford County?

    Crawford County, Kansas has a population of approximately 38,764 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.