Doniphan County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.0 | 7,493 people · 34th most distressed in Kansas
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Doniphan County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.0 — 2065th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Kansas, it ranks 34th 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. Doniphan County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 53.0 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 53.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 42
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 14
Legal Distress 53.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 53
Consumer Credit Distress 44.0
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 32
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 25
Uninsured Rate 44
Subprime Credit Population 35
Structural Poverty 37.4
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 40
Income vs. State Median 45
Child Poverty Rate 36
Disability Rate 26
Transfer Income Dependency 41
Housing Cost Burden 32.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 64
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 23
Homeownership Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Doniphan County
Doniphan County, KS 42.0 Normal —
Buchanan County, MO 66.3 Serious +24.2
Atchison County, KS 39.0 Normal -3.1
Andrew County, MO 35.2 Normal -6.9
Richardson County, NE 32.3 Healthy -9.8
Brown County, KS 30.5 Healthy -11.6
Holt County, MO 29.6 Healthy -12.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Doniphan County
Ozark County, MO 42.1 Normal +0.0
Lake County, CO 42.1 Normal +0.0
Mellette County, SD 42.0 Normal -0.0
Greene County, IA 42.1 Normal +0.1
Kusilvak Census Area, AK 41.9 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Doniphan County has a County Distress Index score of 42.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,065th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Doniphan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Doniphan County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 53.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Doniphan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Doniphan County (42.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Buchanan County, MO (66.3); Atchison County, KS (39.0); Andrew County, MO (35.2).

  • 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 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). Doniphan County's score of 42.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Doniphan 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 Doniphan County?

    Doniphan County, Kansas has a population of approximately 7,493 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.