Labette County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.7 | 19,728 people · 9th most distressed in Kansas
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Labette County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.7 — 1227th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Kansas, it ranks 9th 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. Labette County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 72.6 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 72.6
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 73
Consumer Credit Distress 66.4
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 73
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 53
Economic Vitality 48.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 21
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 89
Housing Cost Burden 36.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 54
Legal Distress 22.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Labette County
Labette County, KS 55.7 Elevated —
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated +8.8
Montgomery County, KS 60.5 Elevated +4.8
Craig County, OK 57.7 Elevated +2.1
Neosho County, KS 56.0 Elevated +0.3
Nowata County, OK 54.7 Elevated -1.0
Cherokee County, KS 51.0 Elevated -4.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Labette County
Lewis County, KY 55.7 Elevated +0.0
McClain County, OK 55.6 Elevated -0.0
Moore County, TX 55.6 Elevated -0.0
Habersham County, GA 55.6 Elevated -0.1
Harrison County, OH 55.6 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Labette County has a County Distress Index score of 55.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,227th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Labette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Labette County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 72.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Labette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Labette County (55.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Crawford County, KS (64.4); Montgomery County, KS (60.5); Craig County, OK (57.7).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Labette County's score of 55.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Labette 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 Labette County?

    Labette County, Kansas has a population of approximately 19,728 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.