Edwards County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.7 | 2,733 people · 64th most distressed in Kansas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Edwards County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.7 — 2546th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency rates remain below the national norm. Within Kansas, it ranks 64th of 105 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Edwards County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 41.5 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 41.5
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 39
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Uninsured Rate 62
Subprime Credit Population 54
Structural Poverty 41.4
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 64
Child Poverty Rate 42
Disability Rate 56
Transfer Income Dependency 26
Economic Vitality 36.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 18
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 40
Housing Cost Burden 20.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 10
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Edwards County
Edwards County, KS 33.7 Healthy —
Ford County, KS 49.2 Normal +15.5
Pawnee County, KS 41.3 Normal +7.6
Stafford County, KS 33.1 Healthy -0.6
Hodgeman County, KS 30.8 Healthy -2.9
Kiowa County, KS 30.6 Healthy -3.1
Pratt County, KS 30.4 Healthy -3.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Edwards County
Chouteau County, MT 33.7 Healthy +0.0
Grant County, ND 33.7 Healthy +0.0
Kane County, UT 33.7 Healthy +0.0
Yuma County, CO 33.7 Healthy -0.0
Dolores County, CO 33.7 Healthy +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Edwards County

Find an Attorney

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 Edwards County residents at no cost.

Kansas Legal Services 1-800-723-6953

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Kansas →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Edwards County has a County Distress Index score of 33.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,546th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Edwards County?

    The primary driver of distress in Edwards County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 41.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Edwards County compare to neighboring counties?

    Edwards County (33.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Ford County, KS (49.2); Pawnee County, KS (41.3); Stafford County, KS (33.1).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Edwards County's score of 33.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Edwards 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 Edwards County?

    Edwards County, Kansas has a population of approximately 2,733 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.