McPherson County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 25.7 | 30,091 people · 93rd most distressed in Kansas
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McPherson County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 25.7 — 2939th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Kansas, it ranks 93rd of 105 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. McPherson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 46.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 46.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 43
Legal Distress 25.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26
Consumer Credit Distress 20.8
Debt in Collections 24
Medical Debt 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 10
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Uninsured Rate 25
Subprime Credit Population 16
Economic Vitality 17.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 1
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 25
Structural Poverty 14.7
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 19
Transfer Income Dependency 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McPherson County
McPherson County, KS 25.7 Healthy —
Reno County, KS 51.3 Elevated +25.6
Saline County, KS 49.0 Normal +23.2
Dickinson County, KS 46.1 Normal +20.4
Rice County, KS 35.6 Normal +9.9
Harvey County, KS 35.3 Normal +9.6
Marion County, KS 31.1 Healthy +5.3
Ellsworth County, KS 26.3 Healthy +0.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McPherson County
Boundary County, ID 25.7 Healthy +0.0
Houston County, MN 25.9 Healthy +0.2
Putnam County, OH 25.6 Healthy -0.2
Sibley County, MN 26.0 Healthy +0.2
Meade County, SD 25.4 Healthy -0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for McPherson 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 McPherson County, Kansas?

    McPherson County has a County Distress Index score of 25.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,939th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 93rd in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McPherson County?

    The primary driver of distress in McPherson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 46.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does McPherson County compare to neighboring counties?

    McPherson County (25.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Reno County, KS (51.3); Saline County, KS (49.0); Dickinson County, KS (46.1).

  • 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). McPherson County's score of 25.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    McPherson 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 McPherson County?

    McPherson County, Kansas has a population of approximately 30,091 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.