Lane County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.0 | 1,529 people · 78th most distressed in Kansas
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Lane County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.0 — 2757th 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 78th of 105 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lane County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 36.6 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 36.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 52
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 18
House Price Change (YoY) 40
Structural Poverty 36.0
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 22
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 31
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 19
Consumer Credit Distress 36.0
Debt in Collections 12
Medical Debt 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 39
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Uninsured Rate 92
Subprime Credit Population 39
Legal Distress 17.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17
Housing Cost Burden 14.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lane County
Lane County, KS 30.0 Healthy —
Finney County, KS 47.1 Normal +17.1
Scott County, KS 29.5 Healthy -0.5
Ness County, KS 21.6 Healthy -8.4
Gove County, KS 19.9 Healthy -10.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lane County
Tucker County, WV 30.0 Healthy +0.0
Franklin County, IA 30.0 Healthy +0.0
Cheyenne County, CO 29.9 Healthy -0.0
Alger County, MI 29.9 Healthy -0.1
Adams County, ND 30.1 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Lane 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 Lane County, Kansas?

    Lane County has a County Distress Index score of 30.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,757th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 78th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lane County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lane County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 36.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Lane County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lane County (30.0) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Finney County, KS (47.1); Scott County, KS (29.5); Ness County, KS (21.6).

  • 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). Lane County's score of 30.0 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Lane 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 Lane County?

    Lane County, Kansas has a population of approximately 1,529 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.