Crittenden County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.2 | 8,974 people · 91st most distressed in Kentucky
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Crittenden County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.2 — 1333rd 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 91st 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. Crittenden County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.0 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.0
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Consumer Credit Distress 67.5
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 57
Legal Distress 58.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Economic Vitality 51.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 69
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 13.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 7
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 26
Homeownership Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Crittenden County
Crittenden County, KY 54.2 Elevated —
Caldwell County, KY 59.5 Elevated +5.3
Livingston County, KY 55.8 Elevated +1.7
Union County, KY 53.8 Elevated -0.4
Lyon County, KY 48.7 Normal -5.5
Webster County, KY 44.3 Normal -9.9
Hardin County, IL 40.6 Normal -13.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Crittenden County
Stonewall County, TX 54.2 Elevated +0.0
Reagan County, TX 54.4 Elevated +0.2
Fall River County, SD 54.4 Elevated +0.2
Rosebud County, MT 53.9 Elevated -0.2
Crowley County, CO 54.5 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Crittenden 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 Crittenden 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 Crittenden County, Kentucky?

    Crittenden County has a County Distress Index score of 54.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,333rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 91st in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Crittenden County?

    The primary driver of distress in Crittenden County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Crittenden County compare to neighboring counties?

    Crittenden County (54.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Caldwell County, KY (59.5); Livingston County, KY (55.8); Union County, KY (53.8).

  • 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). Crittenden County's score of 54.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Crittenden 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 Crittenden County?

    Crittenden County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 8,974 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.