Barren County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.1 | 45,008 people · 24th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Barren County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.1 — 542nd 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 24th of 120 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Barren County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 72.9 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 72.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Structural Poverty 72.9
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Housing Cost Burden 72.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 23
Homeownership Rate 84
Consumer Credit Distress 68.9
Debt in Collections 72
Medical Debt 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 73
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 61
Economic Vitality 32.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 44
Business Formation Rate 48
House Price Change (YoY) 81

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Barren County
Barren County, KY 67.1 Serious —
Warren County, KY 63.8 Elevated -3.3
Allen County, KY 63.5 Elevated -3.6
Hart County, KY 58.8 Elevated -8.3
Metcalfe County, KY 56.6 Elevated -10.4
Monroe County, KY 54.5 Elevated -12.6
Edmonson County, KY 54.0 Elevated -13.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Barren County
Calhoun County, MS 67.1 Serious +0.0
Cass County, TX 67.0 Serious -0.0
Mingo County, WV 67.1 Serious +0.0
Covington County, AL 67.2 Serious +0.1
Scott County, MO 67.0 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Barren 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 Barren 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 Barren County, Kentucky?

    Barren County has a County Distress Index score of 67.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 542nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Barren County?

    The primary driver of distress in Barren County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 72.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Barren County compare to neighboring counties?

    Barren County (67.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Warren County, KY (63.8); Allen County, KY (63.5); Hart County, KY (58.8).

  • 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 Serious 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). Barren County's score of 67.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Barren 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 Barren County?

    Barren County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 45,008 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.