Carter County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.4 | 26,366 people · 28th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Carter County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.4 — 621st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Kentucky, it ranks 28th of 120 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Carter County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 84.3 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 84.3
Unemployment Rate 91
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 71
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 97
Consumer Credit Distress 75.8
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 79
Legal Distress 69.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Economic Vitality 57.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 44
Business Formation Rate 81
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Housing Cost Burden 33.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 25
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Carter County
Carter County, KY 65.4 Serious —
Rowan County, KY 66.8 Serious +1.4
Boyd County, KY 65.8 Serious +0.4
Lawrence County, KY 65.7 Serious +0.3
Elliott County, KY 61.2 Elevated -4.2
Greenup County, KY 57.6 Elevated -7.8
Lewis County, KY 55.7 Elevated -9.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Carter County
Monroe County, MS 65.4 Serious 0.0
Limestone County, TX 65.4 Serious +0.0
Pushmataha County, OK 65.4 Serious +0.0
Edgefield County, SC 65.4 Serious +0.0
Monroe County, AL 65.3 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Carter 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 Carter 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Kentucky →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Carter County has a County Distress Index score of 65.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 621st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Carter County?

    The primary driver of distress in Carter County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 84.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Carter County compare to neighboring counties?

    Carter County (65.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Rowan County, KY (66.8); Boyd County, KY (65.8); Lawrence County, KY (65.7).

  • 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 Serious 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). Carter County's score of 65.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Carter 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 Carter County?

    Carter County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 26,366 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.