Carroll County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.7 | 10,987 people · 46th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Carroll County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.7 — 901st 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 46th of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Carroll County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 82.2 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 82.2
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 67
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 88
Legal Distress 70.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Structural Poverty 52.3
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 64
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Housing Cost Burden 35.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 19
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 31
Homeownership Rate 86
Economic Vitality 16.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 24
Business Formation Rate 39
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Carroll County
Carroll County, KY 60.7 Elevated —
Henry County, KY 64.0 Elevated +3.3
Gallatin County, KY 63.6 Elevated +2.9
Owen County, KY 56.9 Elevated -3.8
Switzerland County, IN 55.5 Elevated -5.3
Jefferson County, IN 52.1 Elevated -8.6
Trimble County, KY 45.9 Normal -14.9

Population Peers

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

Download Data

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

Find Help in Carroll 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 Carroll 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 Carroll County, Kentucky?

    Carroll County has a County Distress Index score of 60.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 901st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Carroll County?

    The primary driver of distress in Carroll County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 82.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Carroll County compare to neighboring counties?

    Carroll County (60.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Henry County, KY (64.0); Gallatin County, KY (63.6); Owen County, KY (56.9).

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

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

    Carroll 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 Carroll County?

    Carroll County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 10,987 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.