Hodgeman County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.8 | 1,655 people · 72nd most distressed in Kansas
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Hodgeman County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.8 — 2714th 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 72nd of 105 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hodgeman County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 44.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 44.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 40
Consumer Credit Distress 33.8
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 39
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Uninsured Rate 38
Subprime Credit Population 23
Housing Cost Burden 27.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 21
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 31
Homeownership Rate 14
Structural Poverty 25.2
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 21
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 16
Legal Distress 14.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hodgeman County
Hodgeman County, KS 30.8 Healthy —
Ford County, KS 49.2 Normal +18.4
Finney County, KS 47.1 Normal +16.3
Pawnee County, KS 41.3 Normal +10.5
Edwards County, KS 33.7 Healthy +2.9
Ness County, KS 21.6 Healthy -9.2
Gray County, KS 15.3 Healthy -15.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hodgeman County
Barber County, KS 30.8 Healthy -0.0
Frontier County, NE 30.9 Healthy +0.1
Wilkin County, MN 30.6 Healthy -0.2
Custer County, ID 31.0 Healthy +0.2
Putnam County, IL 31.0 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Hodgeman County has a County Distress Index score of 30.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,714th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 72nd in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hodgeman County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hodgeman County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 44.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Hodgeman County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hodgeman County (30.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Ford County, KS (49.2); Finney County, KS (47.1); Pawnee County, KS (41.3).

  • 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). Hodgeman County's score of 30.8 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Hodgeman 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 Hodgeman County?

    Hodgeman County, Kansas has a population of approximately 1,655 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.