Rice County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.6 | 9,260 people · 56th most distressed in Kansas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Rice County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.6 — 2444th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Kansas, it ranks 56th of 105 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Rice County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 48.2 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 48.2
Debt in Collections 32
Medical Debt 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 44
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 34
Structural Poverty 35.0
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 25
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 35
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 33
Legal Distress 34.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Economic Vitality 23.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10
Business Formation Rate 82
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 14.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Rice County
Rice County, KS 35.6 Normal —
Reno County, KS 51.3 Elevated +15.7
Barton County, KS 45.6 Normal +10.0
Stafford County, KS 33.1 Healthy -2.5
Ellsworth County, KS 26.3 Healthy -9.4
McPherson County, KS 25.7 Healthy -9.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Rice County
Gallatin County, IL 35.7 Normal +0.0
Garfield County, NE 35.6 Normal -0.0
Hamilton County, IL 35.7 Normal +0.1
Gentry County, MO 35.7 Normal +0.1
Gilpin County, CO 35.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rice County

Find an Attorney

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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Rice County residents at no cost.

Kansas Legal Services 1-800-723-6953

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Kansas →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Rice County has a County Distress Index score of 35.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,444th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rice County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rice County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 48.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Rice County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rice County (35.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Reno County, KS (51.3); Barton County, KS (45.6); Stafford County, KS (33.1).

  • 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). Rice County's score of 35.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Rice 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 Rice County?

    Rice County, Kansas has a population of approximately 9,260 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.