Graham County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.3 | 2,376 people · 77th most distressed in Kansas
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Graham County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.3 — 2745th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Kansas, it ranks 77th 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. Graham County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 53.0 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 53.0
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 43
Income vs. State Median 84
Child Poverty Rate 38
Disability Rate 32
Transfer Income Dependency 53
Economic Vitality 44.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 35
Rent-to-Income Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 83
House Price Change (YoY) 40
Housing Cost Burden 31.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 16
Legal Distress 27.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28
Consumer Credit Distress 21.0
Debt in Collections 9
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 39
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Uninsured Rate 24
Subprime Credit Population 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Graham County
Graham County, KS 30.3 Healthy —
Norton County, KS 40.9 Normal +10.6
Rooks County, KS 34.4 Healthy +4.1
Trego County, KS 24.7 Healthy -5.6
Sheridan County, KS 23.4 Healthy -6.9
Phillips County, KS 22.9 Healthy -7.4
Gove County, KS 19.9 Healthy -10.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Graham County
Bear Lake County, ID 30.3 Healthy +0.0
Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK 30.2 Healthy -0.1
Pratt County, KS 30.4 Healthy +0.1
Sioux County, NE 30.4 Healthy +0.1
Washakie County, WY 30.4 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Graham County has a County Distress Index score of 30.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,745th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 77th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Graham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Graham County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 53.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Graham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Graham County (30.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Norton County, KS (40.9); Rooks County, KS (34.4); Trego County, KS (24.7).

  • 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). Graham County's score of 30.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Graham 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 Graham County?

    Graham County, Kansas has a population of approximately 2,376 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.