In Stevens County, Kansas, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in six dollars of the typical household's income
In Stevens County, 16.2% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 92% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 69% of U.S. counties.
What drives Stevens County's score
In Stevens County, late payments on loans are the highest-scoring part, at 60.0. Housing costs are the lowest part, at 6.5. About one in 27 renters (3.7%, 2020 to 2024) pays half their income or more in rent, a lower share than in 95% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Stevens County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Even so, Stevens County is worse off than most counties on people with a car or retail loan behind (8.8%, August 2025) and people without health insurance (14.2%, 2020 to 2024).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 60.1 of 100
Late payments
Biggest factorCredit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind5.2% · August 202545th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind8.8% · August 202587th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score39.5% · second quarter of 202647th percentile
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- 47.6 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year2.9% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202611th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working27.7% · 2020 to 202483rd percentile
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- 44.8 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector15.4% · August 202520th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people177.3 · 202569th percentile
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- 36.5 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line8.9% · 202414th percentile
- Children below the poverty line12.9% · 202427th percentile
- People with a disability13.1% · 2020 to 202423rd percentile
- People without health insurance14.2% · 2020 to 202486th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$73,962 · 202431st percentile
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- 6.5 of 100
Housing costs
Renters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent3.7% · 2020 to 20245th or lower percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income16.2% · fiscal year 20278th percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Stevens County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Stevens County, 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Stevens County
Kansas
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
Benefit checks' share of income in Stevens County had its largest rise, from 10.9% in 2014 to 16.2% in 2019.
In Stevens County, benefit checks' share of income has more than doubled since 1969, reaching 16.6% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in about four times as much as benefit checks
In Stevens County, Kansas, benefit checks' share of income more than doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 16.6%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
SNAP food aid is one of the benefit checks counted in the income totals above.
The share of households in Stevens County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2020 and has since fallen to 0.6%
Biggest drop: 2020 to 2021, reaching 6.3%. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Stevens County, Kansas.
How Stevens County has changed
Stevens County's population had its largest drop, from 5,781 in 2014 to 5,281 in 2019.
Stevens County's population was at its highest on the chart in 2014 and is down 13% since
High on the chart: 5,781 in 2014. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Stevens County, Kansas.
The jobs count covers work located in the county; the population count covers residents.
The number of jobs located in Stevens County rose 15% from 1990 to 2025, with most of the change between 2010 and 2015
High on the chart: 2,157 in 2015. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Stevens County, Kansas.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 1.8% | 2025 3.0% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 8.2% | 2024 8.9% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $29,077 | 2024 $73,962 |
The table uses 3.0% for 2025; the score uses 2.9% for the latest year (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026), both from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Stevens County's history
1890
Economic decline during 1890s drove residents to territories in American Southwest. Wikipedia
1927
Natural gas discovered in Stevens County 1927, leading to Hugoton Natural Gas Area. Wikipedia
1930
Dust Bowl in 1930s severely affected prosperity in region. Wikipedia
1935
Black Sunday dust storm April 14, 1935. Wikipedia
1951
A tornado in June 1951 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
1977
A tornado in May 1977 did $2.5 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
1993
A tornado in May 1993 did $5 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2010
The county's largest recorded population was the 2010 Census count of 5,724. The 2020 Census counted 5,250, 92% of the peak. Census Bureau
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Since 1973
11 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Stevens County, 4 of them for flooding. FEMA
Stevens County beside its neighbors
Of the six counties that border Stevens County, in Kansas and Oklahoma, three score higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, Stevens County ranks 3rd of the seven; Morton County is highest, at 20.8%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seward County, KS | 40 | 13.1% | 17.9% |
| Texas County, OK | 40 | 13.5% | 12.0% |
| Grant County, KS | 32 | 12.4% | 16.1% |
| Stevens County, KS | 30 | 8.9% | 16.6% |
| Morton County, KS | 25 | 12.2% | 20.8% |
| Stanton County, KS | 21 | 11.1% | 14.5% |
| Haskell County, KS | 10 | 10.1% | 12.2% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Stevens County the poorest county in Kansas?
No, Stevens County's poverty rate was 8.9% in 2024, 90th highest of 105 in Kansas (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Riley County, at 18.1%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Stevens County ranks 37th of 105 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Stevens County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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Kansas Legal Services
Legal aid
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Download the CSV for Stevens County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Stevens County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.