Carlisle County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.3 | 4,704 people · 96th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Carlisle County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.3 — 1434th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Kentucky, it ranks 96th 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. Carlisle County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 66.1 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 66.1
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 63
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 32
Subprime Credit Population 63
Legal Distress 59.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 59
Structural Poverty 45.9
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 51
Transfer Income Dependency 45
Economic Vitality 37.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 36
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 53
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Housing Cost Burden 30.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 7
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Carlisle County
Carlisle County, KY 52.3 Elevated —
Mississippi County, MO 82.0 Crisis +29.7
Graves County, KY 58.1 Elevated +5.9
McCracken County, KY 57.7 Elevated +5.4
Hickman County, KY 46.8 Normal -5.5
Ballard County, KY 40.1 Normal -12.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Carlisle County
Hansford County, TX 52.3 Elevated +0.0
Terrell County, TX 52.3 Elevated +0.0
Sterling County, TX 52.0 Elevated -0.3
Pershing County, NV 52.8 Elevated +0.5
Van Buren County, TN 51.8 Elevated -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Carlisle 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 Carlisle 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 Carlisle County, Kentucky?

    Carlisle County has a County Distress Index score of 52.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,434th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 96th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Carlisle County?

    The primary driver of distress in Carlisle County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 66.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Carlisle County compare to neighboring counties?

    Carlisle County (52.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Mississippi County, MO (82.0); Graves County, KY (58.1); McCracken County, KY (57.7).

  • 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). Carlisle County's score of 52.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Carlisle 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 Carlisle County?

    Carlisle County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 4,704 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.