Butler County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.7 | 12,375 people · 47th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Butler County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.7 — 904th 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 47th 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. Butler County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 87.1 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 87.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 87
Consumer Credit Distress 71.8
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 80
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 63
Structural Poverty 65.2
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 46
Child Poverty Rate 57
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 86
Economic Vitality 37.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Business Formation Rate 92
House Price Change (YoY) 45
Housing Cost Burden 35.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 57

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Butler County
Butler County, KY 60.7 Elevated —
Warren County, KY 63.8 Elevated +3.1
Muhlenberg County, KY 57.4 Elevated -3.4
Grayson County, KY 56.5 Elevated -4.2
Logan County, KY 55.4 Elevated -5.3
Ohio County, KY 54.7 Elevated -6.1
Edmonson County, KY 54.0 Elevated -6.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Butler County
Miami County, IN 60.7 Elevated -0.0
Covington County, MS 60.7 Elevated -0.0
Carroll County, KY 60.7 Elevated +0.0
Guernsey County, OH 60.7 Elevated +0.0
McDonough County, IL 60.7 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Butler 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 Butler 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Butler County has a County Distress Index score of 60.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 904th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Butler County?

    The primary driver of distress in Butler County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 87.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Butler County compare to neighboring counties?

    Butler County (60.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Warren County, KY (63.8); Muhlenberg County, KY (57.4); Grayson County, KY (56.5).

  • 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). Butler County's score of 60.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Butler 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 Butler County?

    Butler County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 12,375 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.