Neosho County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.0 | 15,420 people · 8th most distressed in Kansas
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Neosho County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.0 — 1205th 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 8th of 105 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Neosho County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 65.0 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 65.0
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 84
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 60
Housing Cost Burden 62.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 69
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 25
Homeownership Rate 38
Legal Distress 54.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Consumer Credit Distress 53.8
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 49
Economic Vitality 38.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 82
House Price Change (YoY) 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Neosho County
Neosho County, KS 56.0 Elevated —
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated +8.4
Montgomery County, KS 60.5 Elevated +4.5
Bourbon County, KS 58.0 Elevated +2.0
Labette County, KS 55.7 Elevated -0.3
Allen County, KS 49.4 Normal -6.6
Woodson County, KS 44.6 Normal -11.4
Wilson County, KS 40.0 Normal -16.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Neosho County
Bryan County, GA 55.9 Elevated -0.0
Crawford County, OH 55.9 Elevated -0.0
Calhoun County, TX 56.0 Elevated +0.1
Wakulla County, FL 55.9 Elevated -0.1
Callahan County, TX 56.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Neosho County has a County Distress Index score of 56.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,205th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Neosho County?

    The primary driver of distress in Neosho County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 65.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Neosho County compare to neighboring counties?

    Neosho County (56.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Crawford County, KS (64.4); Montgomery County, KS (60.5); 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). Neosho County's score of 56.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Neosho 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 Neosho County?

    Neosho County, Kansas has a population of approximately 15,420 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.