Linn County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.9 | 9,860 people · 15th most distressed in Kansas
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Linn County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.9 — 1526th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Kansas, it ranks 15th of 105 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Linn County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 73.6 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 73.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 39
House Price Change (YoY) 34
Consumer Credit Distress 62.4
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 64
Subprime Credit Population 52
Structural Poverty 51.5
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 43
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 53
Legal Distress 36.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37
Housing Cost Burden 21.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 60
Homeownership Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Linn County
Linn County, KS 50.9 Elevated —
Franklin County, KS 59.1 Elevated +8.1
Bates County, MO 58.2 Elevated +7.3
Bourbon County, KS 58.0 Elevated +7.1
Vernon County, MO 53.1 Elevated +2.2
Allen County, KS 49.4 Normal -1.5
Anderson County, KS 41.8 Normal -9.1
Miami County, KS 36.5 Normal -14.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Linn County
Schleicher County, TX 50.8 Elevated -0.2
Lynn County, TX 51.1 Elevated +0.2
Musselshell County, MT 51.2 Elevated +0.3
Houston County, TN 50.6 Elevated -0.4
Dallam County, TX 51.3 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Linn County

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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 Linn County, Kansas?

    Linn County has a County Distress Index score of 50.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,526th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 15th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Linn County?

    The primary driver of distress in Linn County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 73.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Linn County compare to neighboring counties?

    Linn County (50.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Franklin County, KS (59.1); Bates County, MO (58.2); Bourbon County, KS (58.0).

  • 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). Linn County's score of 50.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Linn 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 Linn County?

    Linn County, Kansas has a population of approximately 9,860 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.