Riley County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.0 | 71,402 people · 16th most distressed in Kansas
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Riley County, KS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.0 — 1578th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Kansas, it ranks 16th 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. Riley County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 90.3 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 90.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 59
Homeownership Rate 99
Economic Vitality 53.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 72
Consumer Credit Distress 41.7
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 49
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Uninsured Rate 35
Subprime Credit Population 42
Structural Poverty 32.9
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 24
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 9
Legal Distress 9.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Riley County
Riley County, KS 50.0 Elevated —
Geary County, KS 66.4 Serious +16.4
Marshall County, KS 39.1 Normal -10.9
Clay County, KS 38.9 Normal -11.1
Wabaunsee County, KS 26.9 Healthy -23.1
Washington County, KS 21.3 Healthy -28.7
Pottawatomie County, KS 21.0 Healthy -29.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Riley County
Fremont County, CO 50.0 Elevated +0.0
Haywood County, NC 50.0 Normal -0.0
St. Lawrence County, NY 50.0 Elevated +0.0
Sumner County, TN 50.0 Elevated +0.0
Pender County, NC 50.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Riley County has a County Distress Index score of 50.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,578th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Riley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Riley County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 90.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Riley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Riley County (50.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Geary County, KS (66.4); Marshall County, KS (39.1); Clay County, KS (38.9).

  • 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). Riley County's score of 50.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Riley 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 Riley County?

    Riley County, Kansas has a population of approximately 71,402 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.