Butler County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.5 | 68,632 people · 64th most distressed in Kansas
American Default Research

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Butler County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.5 — 2381st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Kansas, it ranks 64th of 105 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Butler County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 55.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 55.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 13
Employment & Wages 50.7
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 58
Debt & Delinquency 41.4
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 44
Student Loan Delinquency 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 29
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Community Vulnerability 36.0
Uninsured Rate 32
Disability Rate 40
Income & Poverty 13.6
Poverty Rate 14
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 12

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Butler County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Butler County
Butler County, KS 39.5 Normal —
Elk County, KS 62.8 Elevated +23.3
Cowley County, KS 55.7 Elevated +16.2
Greenwood County, KS 54.6 Elevated +15.1
Sedgwick County, KS 50.0 Normal +10.5
Sumner County, KS 49.2 Normal +9.7
Chase County, KS 42.2 Normal +2.7
Harvey County, KS 40.8 Normal +1.3
Marion County, KS 37.9 Normal -1.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Butler County
Crow Wing County, MN 39.5 Normal +0.0
Deschutes County, OR 39.5 Normal +0.0
Madison County, MS 39.6 Normal +0.1
Franklin County, VA 39.6 Normal +0.1
Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT 39.4 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Butler County

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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

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Legal aid organizations serving Butler 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 Butler County, Kansas?

    Butler County has a County Distress Index score of 39.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,381st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Butler County?

    The primary driver of distress in Butler County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 55.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Butler County compare to neighboring counties?

    Butler County (39.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Elk County, KS (62.8); Cowley County, KS (55.7); Greenwood County, KS (54.6).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Butler County?

    Butler County, Kansas has a population of approximately 68,632 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.