Thomas County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.3 | 7,865 people · 46th most distressed in Kansas
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Thomas County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.3 — 2292nd 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 46th 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. Thomas County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.7 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 38
Consumer Credit Distress 29.7
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 10
Uninsured Rate 79
Subprime Credit Population 12
Economic Vitality 28.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Legal Distress 23.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23
Structural Poverty 16.0
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 7
Disability Rate 16
Transfer Income Dependency 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Thomas County
Thomas County, KS 38.3 Normal —
Sherman County, KS 41.3 Normal +3.0
Decatur County, KS 35.9 Normal -2.4
Rawlins County, KS 28.3 Healthy -10.0
Logan County, KS 27.9 Healthy -10.4
Sheridan County, KS 23.4 Healthy -14.9
Gove County, KS 19.9 Healthy -18.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Thomas County
Highland County, VA 38.3 Normal +0.0
Kiowa County, CO 38.4 Normal +0.0
Lincoln County, ID 38.4 Normal +0.0
Hancock County, KY 38.3 Normal -0.1
Kit Carson County, CO 38.5 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Thomas County has a County Distress Index score of 38.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,292nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Thomas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Thomas County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Thomas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Thomas County (38.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Sherman County, KS (41.3); Decatur County, KS (35.9); Rawlins County, KS (28.3).

  • 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 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). Thomas County's score of 38.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Thomas 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 Thomas County?

    Thomas County, Kansas has a population of approximately 7,865 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.