Pawnee County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.3 | 6,126 people · 37th most distressed in Kansas
American Default Research

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Pawnee County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.3 — 2105th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Kansas, it ranks 37th of 105 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pawnee County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 86.7 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 86.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 87
Structural Poverty 48.4
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 44
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 35
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 56
Housing Cost Burden 48.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 9
Homeownership Rate 86
Consumer Credit Distress 33.6
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 14
Credit Card Delinquency 15
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 35
Economic Vitality 17.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Business Formation Rate 53
House Price Change (YoY) 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pawnee County
Pawnee County, KS 41.3 Normal —
Barton County, KS 45.6 Normal +4.3
Rush County, KS 33.8 Healthy -7.4
Edwards County, KS 33.7 Healthy -7.6
Stafford County, KS 33.1 Healthy -8.1
Hodgeman County, KS 30.8 Healthy -10.5
Ness County, KS 21.6 Healthy -19.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pawnee County
Ritchie County, WV 41.3 Normal 0.0
Sherman County, KS 41.3 Normal +0.0
San Juan County, CO 41.3 Normal -0.0
Monona County, IA 41.3 Normal -0.0
Aleutians West Census Area, AK 41.2 Normal -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pawnee County

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Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral 785-234-5696

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Legal aid organizations serving Pawnee County residents at no cost.

Kansas Legal Services 1-800-723-6953

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Pawnee County has a County Distress Index score of 41.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,105th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pawnee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pawnee County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 86.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Pawnee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pawnee County (41.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Barton County, KS (45.6); Rush County, KS (33.8); Edwards County, KS (33.7).

  • 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). Pawnee County's score of 41.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Pawnee 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 Pawnee County?

    Pawnee County, Kansas has a population of approximately 6,126 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.