Calloway County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.5 | 38,280 people · 79th most distressed in Kentucky
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Calloway County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.5 — 1174th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Kentucky, it ranks 79th of 120 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Calloway County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 70.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 70.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 58
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Housing Cost Burden 66.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 63
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 87
Structural Poverty 64.4
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 68
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Legal Distress 51.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 51
Consumer Credit Distress 48.0
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 41
Subprime Credit Population 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Calloway County
Calloway County, KY 56.5 Elevated —
Henry County, TN 59.2 Elevated +2.7
Trigg County, KY 58.4 Elevated +1.9
Graves County, KY 58.1 Elevated +1.7
Marshall County, KY 49.0 Normal -7.5
Stewart County, TN 33.7 Healthy -22.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Calloway County
Grayson County, KY 56.5 Elevated +0.0
Anderson County, KY 56.5 Elevated -0.0
Washington County, AL 56.5 Elevated +0.0
Washington County, KY 56.6 Elevated +0.1
Cherokee County, AL 56.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

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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 Calloway 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 Calloway County, Kentucky?

    Calloway County has a County Distress Index score of 56.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,174th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 79th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Calloway County?

    The primary driver of distress in Calloway County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 70.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Calloway County compare to neighboring counties?

    Calloway County (56.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Henry County, TN (59.2); Trigg County, KY (58.4); Graves County, KY (58.1).

  • 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). Calloway County's score of 56.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Calloway 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 Calloway County?

    Calloway County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 38,280 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.