Boyd County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.8 | 47,826 people · 26th most distressed in Kentucky
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Boyd County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.8 — 605th 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 26th of 120 counties. It scores higher 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. Boyd County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 81.9 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 81.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Consumer Credit Distress 71.5
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 14
Subprime Credit Population 73
Structural Poverty 71.0
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Housing Cost Burden 59.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 65
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 76
Economic Vitality 31.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 7
Rent-to-Income Ratio 44
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Boyd County
Boyd County, KY 65.8 Serious —
Lawrence County, KY 65.7 Serious -0.1
Carter County, KY 65.4 Serious -0.4
Lawrence County, OH 64.9 Elevated -0.9
Wayne County, WV 61.0 Elevated -4.8
Greenup County, KY 57.6 Elevated -8.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Boyd County
Lawrence County, KY 65.7 Serious -0.1
Amite County, MS 65.7 Serious -0.1
Scott County, TN 65.9 Serious +0.1
Freestone County, TX 65.9 Serious +0.1
Kay County, OK 66.0 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Boyd 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 Boyd 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 Boyd County, Kentucky?

    Boyd County has a County Distress Index score of 65.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 605th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Boyd County?

    The primary driver of distress in Boyd County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 81.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Boyd County compare to neighboring counties?

    Boyd County (65.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Lawrence County, KY (65.7); Carter County, KY (65.4); Lawrence County, OH (64.9).

  • 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). Boyd County's score of 65.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Boyd 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 Boyd County?

    Boyd County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 47,826 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.