Reno County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.3 | 61,497 people · 13th most distressed in Kansas
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Reno County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.3 — 1500th 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 13th of 105 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Reno County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 68.5 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 68.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Housing Cost Burden 61.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 57
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 73
Consumer Credit Distress 48.6
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Uninsured Rate 59
Subprime Credit Population 51
Structural Poverty 43.5
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 36
Income vs. State Median 49
Child Poverty Rate 33
Disability Rate 52
Transfer Income Dependency 45
Economic Vitality 37.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 82
House Price Change (YoY) 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Reno County
Reno County, KS 51.3 Elevated —
Sedgwick County, KS 52.2 Elevated +0.9
Rice County, KS 35.6 Normal -15.7
Harvey County, KS 35.3 Normal -16.0
Stafford County, KS 33.1 Healthy -18.1
Kingman County, KS 32.4 Healthy -18.9
Pratt County, KS 30.4 Healthy -20.9
McPherson County, KS 25.7 Healthy -25.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Reno County
Washington County, NY 51.3 Elevated +0.0
Black Hawk County, IA 51.4 Elevated +0.1
Wilson County, TX 51.2 Elevated -0.1
Jackson County, GA 51.4 Elevated +0.1
Natrona County, WY 51.4 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Reno 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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Kansas Legal Services 1-800-723-6953

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Reno County has a County Distress Index score of 51.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,500th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Reno County?

    The primary driver of distress in Reno County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 68.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Reno County compare to neighboring counties?

    Reno County (51.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Sedgwick County, KS (52.2); Rice County, KS (35.6); Harvey County, KS (35.3).

  • 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). Reno County's score of 51.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Reno 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 Reno County?

    Reno County, Kansas has a population of approximately 61,497 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.