Allen County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.5 | 21,788 people · 40th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Allen County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.5 — 739th 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 40th of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Allen County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 93.3 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 93.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Consumer Credit Distress 71.9
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 74
Structural Poverty 62.3
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 45
Child Poverty Rate 67
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Economic Vitality 50.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 29
Housing Cost Burden 42.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Allen County
Allen County, KY 63.5 Elevated —
Simpson County, KY 68.0 Serious +4.5
Barren County, KY 67.1 Serious +3.6
Macon County, TN 64.4 Elevated +0.8
Warren County, KY 63.8 Elevated +0.2
Monroe County, KY 54.5 Elevated -9.1
Sumner County, TN 50.0 Elevated -13.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Allen County
Jasper County, TX 63.5 Elevated +0.0
Lee County, GA 63.5 Elevated -0.0
Hopkins County, TX 63.5 Elevated -0.0
Chowan County, NC 63.6 Elevated +0.0
Lincoln County, WV 63.5 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Allen 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 Allen 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Allen County has a County Distress Index score of 63.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 739th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Allen County?

    The primary driver of distress in Allen County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 93.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Allen County compare to neighboring counties?

    Allen County (63.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Simpson County, KY (68.0); Barren County, KY (67.1); Macon County, TN (64.4).

  • 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 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). Allen County's score of 63.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Allen 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 Allen County?

    Allen County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 21,788 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.