Bourbon County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.8 | 20,134 people · 32nd most distressed in Kentucky
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Bourbon County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.8 — 651st 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 32nd of 120 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bourbon County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.6 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Consumer Credit Distress 66.9
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 1
Subprime Credit Population 72
Housing Cost Burden 65.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 85
Economic Vitality 62.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 29
Structural Poverty 42.3
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 27
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bourbon County
Bourbon County, KY 64.8 Elevated —
Nicholas County, KY 64.3 Elevated -0.5
Harrison County, KY 60.5 Elevated -4.3
Clark County, KY 57.4 Elevated -7.4
Fayette County, KY 55.8 Elevated -9.0
Montgomery County, KY 55.8 Elevated -9.0
Bath County, KY 54.3 Elevated -10.5
Scott County, KY 42.1 Normal -22.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bourbon County
Monroe County, TN 64.9 Elevated +0.1
Dooly County, GA 64.7 Elevated -0.1
Val Verde County, TX 64.9 Elevated +0.1
Vernon Parish, LA 64.9 Elevated +0.1
Lincoln County, MS 64.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bourbon 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 Bourbon 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 Bourbon County, Kentucky?

    Bourbon County has a County Distress Index score of 64.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 651st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bourbon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bourbon County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bourbon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bourbon County (64.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Nicholas County, KY (64.3); Harrison County, KY (60.5); Clark County, KY (57.4).

  • 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). Bourbon County's score of 64.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Bourbon 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 Bourbon County?

    Bourbon County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 20,134 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.