Clay County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.0 | 19,648 people · 5th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Clay County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.0 — 267th 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 5th of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clay County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Structural Poverty 92.9
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 70.6
Debt in Collections 94
Medical Debt 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 50
Uninsured Rate 13
Subprime Credit Population 95
Economic Vitality 63.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 92
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 62.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 6
Homeownership Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Clay County, KY 73.0 Serious —
Bell County, KY 79.9 Serious +7.0
Knox County, KY 72.8 Serious -0.2
Jackson County, KY 67.9 Serious -5.1
Laurel County, KY 67.3 Serious -5.6
Owsley County, KY 64.9 Elevated -8.0
Perry County, KY 64.3 Elevated -8.6
Leslie County, KY 59.9 Elevated -13.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Richland Parish, LA 73.0 Serious 0.0
Butler County, AL 72.9 Serious -0.0
Jones County, TX 73.1 Serious +0.1
Jackson County, AR 72.8 Serious -0.1
Bryan County, OK 72.8 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County, Kentucky?

    Clay County has a County Distress Index score of 73.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 267th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clay County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Clay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clay County (73.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Bell County, KY (79.9); Knox County, KY (72.8); Jackson County, KY (67.9).

  • 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 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). Clay County's score of 73.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Clay 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 Clay County?

    Clay County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 19,648 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.