Riley County, Kansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.0 | 71,402 people · 28th most distressed in Kansas
American Default Research

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

Riley County, KS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.0 — 1744th 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 28th of 105 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Riley County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.4 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 59
Homeownership Rate 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Income & Poverty 49.6
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 24
Employment & Wages 48.1
Unemployment Rate 19
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 80
Debt & Delinquency 35.4
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 50
Student Loan Delinquency 29
Auto Loan Delinquency 49
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9
Community Vulnerability 29.5
Uninsured Rate 35
Disability Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Riley County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Riley County
Riley County, KS 48.0 Normal —
Geary County, KS 58.3 Elevated +10.2
Clay County, KS 44.8 Normal -3.3
Wabaunsee County, KS 37.8 Normal -10.2
Marshall County, KS 34.1 Healthy -13.9
Washington County, KS 28.5 Healthy -19.5
Pottawatomie County, KS 24.5 Healthy -23.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Riley County
Lee County, MS 48.1 Normal +0.1
Lafayette Parish, LA 48.2 Normal +0.2
New Hanover County, NC 48.2 Normal +0.2
Maury County, TN 48.2 Normal +0.2
Chelan County, WA 47.8 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Riley 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 Riley 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 Riley County, Kansas?

    Riley County has a County Distress Index score of 48.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,744th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Kansas out of 105 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Riley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Riley County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Riley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Riley County (48.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Geary County, KS (58.3); Clay County, KS (44.8); Wabaunsee County, KS (37.8).

  • 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 Riley County?

    Riley County, Kansas has a population of approximately 71,402 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.