Ballard County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.1 | 7,582 people · 115th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Ballard County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.1 — 2188th 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 115th of 120 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ballard County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 83.1 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 83.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Structural Poverty 50.3
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 52
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Consumer Credit Distress 46.3
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 25
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Uninsured Rate 7
Subprime Credit Population 50
Economic Vitality 18.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Business Formation Rate 43
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 15.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ballard County
Ballard County, KY 40.1 Normal —
Mississippi County, MO 82.0 Crisis +41.9
McCracken County, KY 57.7 Elevated +17.6
Alexander County, IL 57.6 Elevated +17.6
Pulaski County, IL 56.8 Elevated +16.7
Carlisle County, KY 52.3 Elevated +12.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ballard County
Mason County, TX 40.1 Normal -0.0
Wilson County, KS 40.0 Normal -0.1
Cameron Parish, LA 40.2 Normal +0.1
Furnas County, NE 40.2 Normal +0.1
Monroe County, MO 40.3 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ballard County

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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 Ballard 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Ballard County has a County Distress Index score of 40.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,188th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 115th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ballard County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ballard County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 83.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Ballard County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ballard County (40.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Mississippi County, MO (82.0); McCracken County, KY (57.7); Alexander County, IL (57.6).

  • 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 Normal 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). Ballard County's score of 40.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Ballard 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 Ballard County?

    Ballard County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 7,582 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.