Meade County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 27.3 | 3,911 people · 88th most distressed in Kansas
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Meade County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 27.3 — 2876th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency rates remain below the national norm. Within Kansas, it ranks 88th of 105 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Meade County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 36.8 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 36.8
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 39
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 26
Legal Distress 23.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23
Economic Vitality 21.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 43
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Structural Poverty 17.4
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 17
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 26
Disability Rate 23
Transfer Income Dependency 9
Housing Cost Burden 17.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 9
Homeownership Rate 58

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Meade County
Meade County, KS 27.3 Healthy —
Seward County, KS 49.5 Normal +22.2
Ford County, KS 49.2 Normal +21.9
Clark County, KS 31.4 Healthy +4.1
Beaver County, OK 28.9 Healthy +1.6
Haskell County, KS 28.4 Healthy +1.1
Gray County, KS 15.3 Healthy -12.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Meade County
Wheeler County, NE 27.3 Healthy -0.0
Camas County, ID 27.2 Healthy -0.1
Fallon County, MT 27.4 Healthy +0.1
Nance County, NE 27.2 Healthy -0.1
Chariton County, MO 27.5 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Meade 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 Meade County, Kansas?

    Meade County has a County Distress Index score of 27.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,876th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 88th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Meade County?

    The primary driver of distress in Meade County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 36.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Meade County compare to neighboring counties?

    Meade County (27.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Seward County, KS (49.5); Ford County, KS (49.2); Clark County, KS (31.4).

  • 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). Meade County's score of 27.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Meade 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 Meade County?

    Meade County, Kansas has a population of approximately 3,911 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.