Johnson County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 27.1 | 622,237 people · 89th most distressed in Kansas
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Johnson County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 27.1 — 2887th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Kansas, it ranks 89th of 105 counties. It scores lower 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. Johnson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 60.6 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 60.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 76
Legal Distress 58.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Economic Vitality 17.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 18
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 49
Consumer Credit Distress 14.7
Debt in Collections 11
Medical Debt 29
Auto Loan Delinquency 13
Credit Card Delinquency 11
Uninsured Rate 19
Subprime Credit Population 12
Structural Poverty 5.0
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 1
Disability Rate 1
Transfer Income Dependency 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Johnson County, KS 27.1 Healthy —
Wyandotte County, KS 75.9 Serious +48.9
Jackson County, MO 66.3 Serious +39.2
Franklin County, KS 59.1 Elevated +32.0
Cass County, MO 49.5 Normal +22.4
Douglas County, KS 47.8 Normal +20.8
Leavenworth County, KS 43.1 Normal +16.0
Miami County, KS 36.5 Normal +9.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Morris County, NJ 27.4 Healthy +0.4
Warren County, OH 27.7 Healthy +0.7
Chester County, PA 28.3 Healthy +1.3
San Francisco County, CA 25.7 Healthy -1.4
Douglas County, CO 28.6 Healthy +1.5

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Johnson 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 Johnson County, Kansas?

    Johnson County has a County Distress Index score of 27.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,887th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 89th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Johnson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Johnson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 60.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Johnson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Johnson County (27.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Wyandotte County, KS (75.9); Jackson County, MO (66.3); Franklin County, KS (59.1).

  • 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). Johnson County's score of 27.1 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Johnson 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 Johnson County?

    Johnson County, Kansas has a population of approximately 622,237 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.