Franklin County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.1 | 26,125 people · 5th most distressed in Kansas
American Default Research

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Franklin County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.1 — 1014th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Kansas, it ranks 5th of 105 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 80.2 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 80.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Housing Cost Burden 65.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 55
Consumer Credit Distress 62.0
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 54
Economic Vitality 43.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 20
Business Formation Rate 77
House Price Change (YoY) 49
Structural Poverty 37.0
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 30
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 24
Disability Rate 56
Transfer Income Dependency 45

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, KS 59.1 Elevated —
Linn County, KS 50.9 Elevated -8.1
Douglas County, KS 47.8 Normal -11.3
Osage County, KS 45.4 Normal -13.7
Anderson County, KS 41.8 Normal -17.3
Miami County, KS 36.5 Normal -22.6
Coffey County, KS 32.2 Healthy -26.9
Johnson County, KS 27.1 Healthy -32.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, AL 59.1 Elevated -0.0
Roosevelt County, MT 59.1 Elevated -0.0
Johnston County, OK 59.1 Elevated +0.0
Hopkins County, KY 59.0 Elevated -0.0
Washington County, IN 59.0 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin County

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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 Franklin County residents at no cost.

Kansas Legal Services 1-800-723-6953

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 59.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,014th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 80.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (59.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Linn County, KS (50.9); Douglas County, KS (47.8); Osage County, KS (45.4).

  • 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 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). Franklin County's score of 59.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Kansas has a population of approximately 26,125 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.