Boone County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.5 | 140,496 people · 113th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Boone County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.5 — 2039th 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 113th of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Boone County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 84.2 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 84.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Housing Cost Burden 52.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 54
Homeownership Rate 37
Economic Vitality 49.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 21
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 56
Consumer Credit Distress 39.5
Debt in Collections 40
Medical Debt 39
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Uninsured Rate 21
Subprime Credit Population 49
Structural Poverty 10.1
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 17
Transfer Income Dependency 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Boone County
Boone County, KY 42.5 Normal —
Gallatin County, KY 63.6 Elevated +21.1
Hamilton County, OH 60.1 Elevated +17.6
Ohio County, IN 59.8 Elevated +17.2
Grant County, KY 59.0 Elevated +16.5
Switzerland County, IN 55.5 Elevated +13.0
Kenton County, KY 48.0 Normal +5.5
Dearborn County, IN 42.5 Normal -0.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Boone County
Dearborn County, IN 42.5 Normal -0.1
Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT 42.5 Normal -0.1
Jefferson County, MO 42.6 Normal +0.1
Pennington County, SD 42.7 Normal +0.2
Hancock County, ME 42.4 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Boone 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 Boone 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 Boone County, Kentucky?

    Boone County has a County Distress Index score of 42.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,039th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 113th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Boone County?

    The primary driver of distress in Boone County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 84.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Boone County compare to neighboring counties?

    Boone County (42.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Gallatin County, KY (63.6); Hamilton County, OH (60.1); Ohio County, IN (59.8).

  • 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 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). Boone County's score of 42.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Boone 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 Boone County?

    Boone County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 140,496 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.