Kay County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.0 | 43,641 people · 22nd most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

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

Kay County, OK shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.0 — 599th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Oklahoma, it ranks 22nd of 77 counties. It scores higher 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. Kay County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 80.3 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 80.3
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 78
Structural Poverty 69.9
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 85
Disability Rate 74
Transfer Income Dependency 73
Legal Distress 64.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Housing Cost Burden 43.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 26
Homeownership Rate 78
Economic Vitality 42.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 42
Business Formation Rate 70
House Price Change (YoY) 63

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Kay County
Kay County, OK 66.0 Serious —
Osage County, OK 62.7 Elevated -3.3
Garfield County, OK 60.0 Elevated -6.0
Cowley County, KS 51.4 Elevated -14.6
Noble County, OK 51.3 Elevated -14.6
Sumner County, KS 45.2 Normal -20.8
Grant County, OK 44.4 Normal -21.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Kay County
Scott County, TN 65.9 Serious -0.0
Freestone County, TX 65.9 Serious -0.0
Boyd County, KY 65.8 Serious -0.1
Randolph County, AL 66.1 Serious +0.2
Glacier County, MT 66.2 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kay County

Find an Attorney

Oklahoma Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Oklahoma Bar Association Lawyer Referral 405-416-7000

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Kay County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma 1-888-534-5243

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 Oklahoma →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Kay County, Oklahoma?

    Kay County has a County Distress Index score of 66.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 599th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kay County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 80.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Kay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kay County (66.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Osage County, OK (62.7); Garfield County, OK (60.0); 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 Serious 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). Kay County's score of 66.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Kay 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 Kay County?

    Kay County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 43,641 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.