Clark County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.4 | 37,304 people · 70th most distressed in Kentucky
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Clark County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.4 — 1129th 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 70th 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. Clark County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 87.5 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 87.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Consumer Credit Distress 60.8
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 46
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Uninsured Rate 6
Subprime Credit Population 66
Economic Vitality 54.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 67
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 21
Housing Cost Burden 53.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 64
Structural Poverty 38.1
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 42
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clark County
Clark County, KY 57.4 Elevated —
Powell County, KY 74.8 Serious +17.5
Estill County, KY 70.0 Serious +12.7
Bourbon County, KY 64.8 Elevated +7.4
Madison County, KY 56.6 Elevated -0.8
Fayette County, KY 55.8 Elevated -1.6
Montgomery County, KY 55.8 Elevated -1.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clark County
Lunenburg County, VA 57.4 Elevated 0.0
Bollinger County, MO 57.4 Elevated -0.0
Audrain County, MO 57.4 Elevated +0.0
Southampton County, VA 57.4 Elevated +0.0
Muhlenberg County, KY 57.4 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clark 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 Clark 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 Clark County, Kentucky?

    Clark County has a County Distress Index score of 57.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,129th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 70th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clark County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clark County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 87.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Clark County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clark County (57.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Powell County, KY (74.8); Estill County, KY (70.0); Bourbon County, KY (64.8).

  • 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). Clark County's score of 57.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Clark 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 Clark County?

    Clark County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 37,304 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.