Adair County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.7 | 19,264 people · 33rd most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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

Adair County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.7 — 659th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Kentucky, it ranks 33rd of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Adair County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 85.1 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 85.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Structural Poverty 84.9
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 91
Income vs. State Median 87
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Consumer Credit Distress 61.1
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 55
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Uninsured Rate 39
Subprime Credit Population 67
Economic Vitality 56.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 92
Housing Cost Burden 56.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 52
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Adair County
Adair County, KY 64.7 Elevated —
Casey County, KY 69.5 Serious +4.8
Russell County, KY 60.7 Elevated -4.0
Taylor County, KY 59.5 Elevated -5.1
Metcalfe County, KY 56.6 Elevated -8.0
Cumberland County, KY 56.6 Elevated -8.1
Green County, KY 51.6 Elevated -13.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Adair County
Pierce County, GA 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Morgan County, KY 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Wharton County, TX 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Hill County, TX 64.7 Elevated +0.0
Dooly County, GA 64.7 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Adair County

Find an Attorney

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

Kentucky Bar Association Lawyer Referral 502-564-3795

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Adair County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of the Bluegrass 1-800-928-4615
Kentucky Legal Aid 1-866-452-9243
Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky (866) 277-5733
Legal Aid Society (502) 584-1254

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 Kentucky →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Adair County, Kentucky?

    Adair County has a County Distress Index score of 64.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 659th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 33rd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Adair County?

    The primary driver of distress in Adair County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 85.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Adair County compare to neighboring counties?

    Adair County (64.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Casey County, KY (69.5); Russell County, KY (60.7); Taylor County, KY (59.5).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Adair County's score of 64.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Adair 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 Adair County?

    Adair County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 19,264 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.