Gove County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 19.9 | 2,735 people · 103rd most distressed in Kansas
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Gove County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 19.9 — 3073rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages keep pace with costs, business formation is healthy, and the local economy shows resilience. Within Kansas, it ranks 103rd of 105 counties. It scores lower than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Gove County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 29.7 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 29.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Business Formation Rate 41
House Price Change (YoY) 40
Structural Poverty 23.7
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 25
Disability Rate 26
Transfer Income Dependency 9
Housing Cost Burden 21.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 23
Consumer Credit Distress 18.5
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 39
Credit Card Delinquency 15
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 14
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Gove County
Gove County, KS 19.9 Healthy —
Thomas County, KS 38.3 Normal +18.4
Graham County, KS 30.3 Healthy +10.4
Lane County, KS 30.0 Healthy +10.1
Scott County, KS 29.5 Healthy +9.6
Logan County, KS 27.9 Healthy +8.0
Trego County, KS 24.7 Healthy +4.8
Sheridan County, KS 23.4 Healthy +3.5
Ness County, KS 21.6 Healthy +1.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Gove County
Towner County, ND 19.9 Healthy -0.0
Custer County, SD 19.9 Healthy -0.0
Dickey County, ND 19.8 Healthy -0.1
Marshall County, MN 19.8 Healthy -0.1
Traill County, ND 20.0 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

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Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral 785-234-5696

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Gove County has a County Distress Index score of 19.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,073rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 103rd in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gove County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gove County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 29.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Gove County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gove County (19.9) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Thomas County, KS (38.3); Graham County, KS (30.3); Lane County, KS (30.0).

  • 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 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). Gove County's score of 19.9 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Gove 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 Gove County?

    Gove County, Kansas has a population of approximately 2,735 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.