Ellis County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.4 | 28,810 people · 41st most distressed in Kansas
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Ellis County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.4 — 2230th 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 41st of 105 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ellis County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 91.0 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 91.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 89
Economic Vitality 44.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Business Formation Rate 72
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Structural Poverty 33.5
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 64
Child Poverty Rate 17
Disability Rate 13
Transfer Income Dependency 22
Consumer Credit Distress 19.6
Debt in Collections 11
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 12
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 16
Legal Distress 16.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ellis County
Ellis County, KS 39.4 Normal —
Osborne County, KS 37.4 Normal -2.0
Russell County, KS 36.9 Normal -2.5
Rooks County, KS 34.4 Healthy -5.0
Rush County, KS 33.8 Healthy -5.5
Trego County, KS 24.7 Healthy -14.7
Ness County, KS 21.6 Healthy -17.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ellis County
Teller County, CO 39.4 Normal +0.0
Ashland County, WI 39.4 Normal +0.0
Pike County, IN 39.3 Normal -0.0
Dare County, NC 39.3 Normal -0.0
Jasper County, IN 39.3 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Ellis County has a County Distress Index score of 39.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,230th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ellis County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ellis County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 91.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Ellis County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ellis County (39.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Osborne County, KS (37.4); Russell County, KS (36.9); Rooks County, KS (34.4).

  • 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). Ellis County's score of 39.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Ellis 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 Ellis County?

    Ellis County, Kansas has a population of approximately 28,810 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.