Osage County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.4 | 15,824 people · 29th most distressed in Kansas
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Osage County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.4 — 1876th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Kansas, it ranks 29th of 105 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Osage County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 66.4 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 66.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 21
Business Formation Rate 70
House Price Change (YoY) 92
Legal Distress 60.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Consumer Credit Distress 45.5
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 68
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Uninsured Rate 52
Subprime Credit Population 33
Structural Poverty 37.7
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 27
Disability Rate 55
Transfer Income Dependency 45
Housing Cost Burden 36.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 19
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Osage County
Osage County, KS 45.4 Normal —
Franklin County, KS 59.1 Elevated +13.7
Shawnee County, KS 57.1 Elevated +11.7
Lyon County, KS 54.8 Elevated +9.4
Douglas County, KS 47.8 Normal +2.4
Coffey County, KS 32.2 Healthy -13.2
Wabaunsee County, KS 26.9 Healthy -18.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Osage County
Beltrami County, MN 45.4 Normal -0.0
Appomattox County, VA 45.4 Normal -0.0
Chenango County, NY 45.3 Normal -0.1
Jefferson County, PA 45.5 Normal +0.1
Kittitas County, WA 45.3 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Osage County has a County Distress Index score of 45.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,876th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Osage County?

    The primary driver of distress in Osage County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 66.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Osage County compare to neighboring counties?

    Osage County (45.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Franklin County, KS (59.1); Shawnee County, KS (57.1); Lyon County, KS (54.8).

  • 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 Normal 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). Osage County's score of 45.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Osage 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 Osage County?

    Osage County, Kansas has a population of approximately 15,824 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.