Caldwell County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.5 | 12,551 people · 55th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Caldwell County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.5 — 989th 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 55th 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. Caldwell County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 85.9 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 85.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Structural Poverty 68.8
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 67
Income vs. State Median 63
Child Poverty Rate 68
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Consumer Credit Distress 60.0
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 9
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 62
Subprime Credit Population 72
Housing Cost Burden 50.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 25
Homeownership Rate 63
Economic Vitality 43.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 38
Rent-to-Income Ratio 36
Business Formation Rate 54
House Price Change (YoY) 75

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Caldwell County
Caldwell County, KY 59.5 Elevated —
Christian County, KY 77.9 Serious +18.4
Hopkins County, KY 59.0 Elevated -0.4
Trigg County, KY 58.4 Elevated -1.0
Crittenden County, KY 54.2 Elevated -5.3
Lyon County, KY 48.7 Normal -10.8
Webster County, KY 44.3 Normal -15.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Caldwell County
McNairy County, TN 59.5 Elevated +0.0
Wise County, VA 59.5 Elevated +0.1
Taylor County, KY 59.5 Elevated +0.1
Lamb County, TX 59.5 Elevated +0.1
Gonzales County, TX 59.4 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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 Caldwell County, Kentucky?

    Caldwell County has a County Distress Index score of 59.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 989th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Caldwell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Caldwell County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 85.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Caldwell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Caldwell County (59.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Christian County, KY (77.9); Hopkins County, KY (59.0); Trigg County, KY (58.4).

  • 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). Caldwell County's score of 59.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Caldwell 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 Caldwell County?

    Caldwell County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 12,551 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.