Kiowa County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.6 | 2,374 people · 74th most distressed in Kansas
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Kiowa County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.6 — 2728th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Kansas, it ranks 74th of 105 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Kiowa County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 52.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 52.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 72
House Price Change (YoY) 40
Structural Poverty 51.4
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 26
Disability Rate 51
Transfer Income Dependency 66
Consumer Credit Distress 26.3
Debt in Collections 15
Medical Debt 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 39
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Uninsured Rate 51
Subprime Credit Population 9
Housing Cost Burden 25.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 49
Legal Distress 6.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Kiowa County
Kiowa County, KS 30.6 Healthy —
Ford County, KS 49.2 Normal +18.6
Comanche County, KS 46.1 Normal +15.6
Edwards County, KS 33.7 Healthy +3.1
Clark County, KS 31.4 Healthy +0.8
Barber County, KS 30.8 Healthy +0.2
Pratt County, KS 30.4 Healthy -0.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Kiowa County
Loup County, NE 30.6 Healthy 0.0
Thomas County, NE 30.6 Healthy -0.0
Wilkin County, MN 30.6 Healthy +0.0
Brown County, KS 30.5 Healthy -0.1
Ouray County, CO 30.4 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Kiowa County has a County Distress Index score of 30.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,728th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 74th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kiowa County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kiowa County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 52.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Kiowa County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kiowa County (30.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Ford County, KS (49.2); Comanche County, KS (46.1); Edwards County, KS (33.7).

  • 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). Kiowa County's score of 30.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Kiowa 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 Kiowa County?

    Kiowa County, Kansas has a population of approximately 2,374 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.