Marion County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.1 | 11,690 people · 71st most distressed in Kansas
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Marion County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.1 — 2696th 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 71st of 105 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Marion County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 43.0 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 43.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 17
Structural Poverty 40.1
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 28
Income vs. State Median 51
Child Poverty Rate 21
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 57
Consumer Credit Distress 29.2
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 42
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 8
Legal Distress 28.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 29
Housing Cost Burden 25.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 27
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Marion County, KS 31.1 Healthy —
Saline County, KS 49.0 Normal +17.9
Dickinson County, KS 46.1 Normal +15.1
Butler County, KS 42.3 Normal +11.2
Morris County, KS 35.5 Normal +4.5
Harvey County, KS 35.3 Normal +4.3
Chase County, KS 35.3 Normal +4.2
McPherson County, KS 25.7 Healthy -5.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Mercer County, IL 31.0 Healthy -0.0
Fergus County, MT 31.0 Healthy -0.0
Fulton County, PA 31.0 Healthy -0.0
Shelby County, IA 31.0 Healthy -0.1
Richland County, WI 31.0 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Marion County has a County Distress Index score of 31.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,696th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 71st in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marion County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marion County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 43.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Marion County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marion County (31.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Saline County, KS (49.0); Dickinson County, KS (46.1); Butler County, KS (42.3).

  • 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). Marion County's score of 31.1 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Marion 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 Marion County?

    Marion County, Kansas has a population of approximately 11,690 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.