Montgomery County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.5 | 30,568 people · 4th most distressed in Kansas
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Montgomery County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.5 — 925th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Kansas, it ranks 4th of 105 counties. It scores higher 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. Montgomery County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 74.7 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 74.7
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 60
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 77
Consumer Credit Distress 64.3
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 68
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 65
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 67
Housing Cost Burden 62.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 59
Legal Distress 47.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47
Economic Vitality 26.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 36
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, KS 60.5 Elevated —
Neosho County, KS 56.0 Elevated -4.5
Labette County, KS 55.7 Elevated -4.8
Washington County, OK 55.2 Elevated -5.2
Nowata County, OK 54.7 Elevated -5.8
Elk County, KS 48.0 Normal -12.4
Chautauqua County, KS 46.0 Normal -14.5
Wilson County, KS 40.0 Normal -20.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Harrison County, KY 60.5 Elevated +0.0
Prentiss County, MS 60.5 Elevated +0.0
Hancock County, WV 60.5 Elevated +0.0
Lamar County, AL 60.5 Elevated +0.0
Wyoming County, WV 60.5 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, Kansas?

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 60.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 925th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 74.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (60.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Neosho County, KS (56.0); Labette County, KS (55.7); Washington County, OK (55.2).

  • 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). Montgomery County's score of 60.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Montgomery 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, Kansas has a population of approximately 30,568 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.