Bullitt County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.2 | 84,863 people · 109th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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

Bullitt County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.2 — 1830th 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 109th of 120 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bullitt County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 87.7 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 87.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Economic Vitality 61.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 42
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 55
Housing Cost Burden 51.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 5
Consumer Credit Distress 41.6
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Uninsured Rate 1
Subprime Credit Population 53
Structural Poverty 20.4
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 8
Child Poverty Rate 13
Disability Rate 47
Transfer Income Dependency 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bullitt County
Bullitt County, KY 46.2 Normal —
Jefferson County, KY 61.7 Elevated +15.5
Hardin County, KY 58.0 Elevated +11.8
Nelson County, KY 47.2 Normal +1.0
Spencer County, KY 38.5 Normal -7.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bullitt County
Hawaii County, HI 46.1 Normal -0.1
Cass County, MI 46.3 Normal +0.1
Mesa County, CO 46.1 Normal -0.1
Northumberland County, PA 46.0 Normal -0.2
Putnam County, WV 46.0 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bullitt 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 Bullitt 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 Bullitt County, Kentucky?

    Bullitt County has a County Distress Index score of 46.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,830th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 109th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bullitt County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bullitt County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 87.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bullitt County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bullitt County (46.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, KY (61.7); Hardin County, KY (58.0); Nelson County, KY (47.2).

  • 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). Bullitt County's score of 46.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Bullitt 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 Bullitt County?

    Bullitt County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 84,863 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.