Boyle County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.7 | 30,988 people · 42nd most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Boyle County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.7 — 785th 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 42nd of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Boyle County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 83.3 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 83.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Housing Cost Burden 72.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 72
Consumer Credit Distress 66.3
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 63
Structural Poverty 48.7
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 58
Economic Vitality 24.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 16
Business Formation Rate 37
House Price Change (YoY) 85

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Boyle County
Boyle County, KY 62.7 Elevated —
Casey County, KY 69.5 Serious +6.7
Lincoln County, KY 57.8 Elevated -5.0
Garrard County, KY 56.9 Elevated -5.9
Washington County, KY 56.6 Elevated -6.2
Mercer County, KY 56.1 Elevated -6.7
Marion County, KY 53.0 Elevated -9.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Boyle County
Fayette County, WV 62.8 Elevated +0.0
Pontotoc County, MS 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Scott County, IN 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Breathitt County, KY 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Shelby County, TX 62.8 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Boyle 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 Boyle 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 Boyle County, Kentucky?

    Boyle County has a County Distress Index score of 62.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 785th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Boyle County?

    The primary driver of distress in Boyle County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 83.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Boyle County compare to neighboring counties?

    Boyle County (62.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Casey County, KY (69.5); Lincoln County, KY (57.8); Garrard County, KY (56.9).

  • 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 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). Boyle County's score of 62.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Boyle 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 Boyle County?

    Boyle County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 30,988 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.