Bracken County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.8 | 8,426 people · 60th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Bracken County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.8 — 1029th 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 60th of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bracken County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 93.1 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 93.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Economic Vitality 76.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 66
House Price Change (YoY) 10
Consumer Credit Distress 59.0
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 73
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 18
Subprime Credit Population 73
Structural Poverty 56.7
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 21
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 64
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Housing Cost Burden 41.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 26
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bracken County
Bracken County, KY 58.8 Elevated —
Brown County, OH 61.0 Elevated +2.2
Harrison County, KY 60.5 Elevated +1.6
Robertson County, KY 60.1 Elevated +1.3
Mason County, KY 59.9 Elevated +1.1
Pendleton County, KY 53.7 Elevated -5.1
Clermont County, OH 47.2 Normal -11.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bracken County
Charles City County, VA 58.6 Elevated -0.2
Briscoe County, TX 58.4 Elevated -0.4
Carroll County, MS 58.4 Elevated -0.4
Garza County, TX 59.3 Elevated +0.5
Storey County, NV 58.2 Elevated -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bracken 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 Bracken 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

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Kentucky →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Bracken County, Kentucky?

    Bracken County has a County Distress Index score of 58.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,029th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 60th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bracken County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bracken County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 93.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bracken County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bracken County (58.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Brown County, OH (61.0); Harrison County, KY (60.5); Robertson County, KY (60.1).

  • 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). Bracken County's score of 58.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Bracken 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 Bracken County?

    Bracken County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 8,426 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.