Clinton County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.8 | 9,148 people · 22nd most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Clinton County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.8 — 507th 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 22nd of 120 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clinton County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 91.4 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 91.4
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 94
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 78.8
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Uninsured Rate 31
Subprime Credit Population 73
Economic Vitality 66.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 78
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Legal Distress 52.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 52
Housing Cost Burden 35.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clinton County
Clinton County, KY 67.8 Serious —
Wayne County, KY 70.7 Serious +2.9
Russell County, KY 60.7 Elevated -7.1
Cumberland County, KY 56.6 Elevated -11.2
Clay County, TN 54.8 Elevated -12.9
Pickett County, TN 46.4 Normal -21.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clinton County
Esmeralda County, NV 67.7 Serious -0.0
Warren County, GA 67.7 Serious -0.1
Twiggs County, GA 67.6 Serious -0.1
Wilcox County, GA 67.6 Serious -0.2
Hyde County, NC 68.1 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clinton 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 Clinton 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 Clinton County, Kentucky?

    Clinton County has a County Distress Index score of 67.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 507th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clinton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clinton County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 91.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Clinton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clinton County (67.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Wayne County, KY (70.7); Russell County, KY (60.7); Cumberland County, KY (56.6).

  • 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). Clinton County's score of 67.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Clinton 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 Clinton County?

    Clinton County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 9,148 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.