Wilson County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.0 | 8,382 people · 39th most distressed in Kansas
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Wilson County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.0 — 2196th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Kansas, it ranks 39th of 105 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wilson County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 69.2 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 69.3
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Housing Cost Burden 44.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 51
Economic Vitality 35.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 18
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Consumer Credit Distress 35.4
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 39
Subprime Credit Population 54
Legal Distress 8.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wilson County
Wilson County, KS 40.0 Normal —
Montgomery County, KS 60.5 Elevated +20.5
Neosho County, KS 56.0 Elevated +16.0
Allen County, KS 49.4 Normal +9.4
Greenwood County, KS 48.8 Normal +8.8
Elk County, KS 48.0 Normal +8.0
Woodson County, KS 44.6 Normal +4.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wilson County
Mason County, TX 40.1 Normal +0.1
Ballard County, KY 40.1 Normal +0.1
Ottawa County, KS 39.8 Normal -0.2
Mountrail County, ND 39.8 Normal -0.2
Putnam County, MO 39.8 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Wilson County has a County Distress Index score of 40.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,196th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wilson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wilson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 69.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Wilson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wilson County (40.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Montgomery County, KS (60.5); Neosho County, KS (56.0); Allen County, KS (49.4).

  • 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). Wilson County's score of 40.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Wilson 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 Wilson County?

    Wilson County, Kansas has a population of approximately 8,382 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.