Scott County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Healthy · 29.5 | 4,922 people · 80th most distressed in Kansas
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Scott County, KS ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 29.5 — 2783rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filings are moderately elevated. Within Kansas, it ranks 80th 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. Scott County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 64.1 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 64.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 64
Consumer Credit Distress 33.3
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 22
Housing Cost Burden 27.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 95
Structural Poverty 14.6
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 7
Disability Rate 31
Transfer Income Dependency 14
Economic Vitality 10.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 12
House Price Change (YoY) 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Scott County, KS 29.5 Healthy —
Finney County, KS 47.1 Normal +17.6
Kearny County, KS 35.2 Normal +5.7
Lane County, KS 30.0 Healthy +0.5
Wichita County, KS 29.8 Healthy +0.2
Logan County, KS 27.9 Healthy -1.6
Gove County, KS 19.9 Healthy -9.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Taylor County, IA 29.6 Healthy +0.0
Charles Mix County, SD 29.4 Healthy -0.1
Garden County, NE 29.6 Healthy +0.1
Banner County, NE 29.4 Healthy -0.1
San Miguel County, CO 29.6 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Scott 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 Scott 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 Scott County, Kansas?

    Scott County has a County Distress Index score of 29.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,783rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 80th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scott County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scott County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 64.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Scott County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scott County (29.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Finney County, KS (47.1); Kearny County, KS (35.2); Lane County, KS (30.0).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Scott County's score of 29.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Scott 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 Scott County?

    Scott County, Kansas has a population of approximately 4,922 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.