Sumner County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.2 | 22,334 people · 30th most distressed in Kansas
American Default Research

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

Sumner County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.2 — 1888th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Kansas, it ranks 30th of 105 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sumner County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 69.4 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 69.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 42
Business Formation Rate 87
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Consumer Credit Distress 45.0
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 20
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Uninsured Rate 57
Subprime Credit Population 48
Structural Poverty 44.3
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 27
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Legal Distress 42.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42
Housing Cost Burden 37.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 16
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 63
Homeownership Rate 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sumner County
Sumner County, KS 45.2 Normal —
Kay County, OK 66.0 Serious +20.8
Sedgwick County, KS 52.2 Elevated +7.0
Cowley County, KS 51.4 Elevated +6.2
Grant County, OK 44.4 Normal -0.8
Butler County, KS 42.3 Normal -2.9
Harper County, KS 39.0 Normal -6.2
Kingman County, KS 32.4 Healthy -12.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sumner County
Logan County, OH 45.2 Normal +0.0
Smith County, TN 45.2 Normal +0.1
Lincoln County, NE 45.2 Normal +0.1
Perry County, MO 45.3 Normal +0.1
Texas County, OK 45.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sumner 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 Sumner 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 Sumner County, Kansas?

    Sumner County has a County Distress Index score of 45.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,888th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sumner County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sumner County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 69.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Sumner County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sumner County (45.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Kay County, OK (66.0); Sedgwick County, KS (52.2); Cowley County, KS (51.4).

  • 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). Sumner County's score of 45.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Sumner 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 Sumner County?

    Sumner County, Kansas has a population of approximately 22,334 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.