Cumberland County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.6 | 6,000 people · 75th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Cumberland County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.6 — 1166th 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 75th of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cumberland County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 87.6 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 87.6
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 93
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 61.0
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 75
Legal Distress 59.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Economic Vitality 42.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 17
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 33.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 18
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 61

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cumberland County
Cumberland County, KY 56.6 Elevated —
Clinton County, KY 67.8 Serious +11.2
Adair County, KY 64.7 Elevated +8.1
Russell County, KY 60.7 Elevated +4.1
Metcalfe County, KY 56.6 Elevated +0.0
Clay County, TN 54.8 Elevated -1.8
Monroe County, KY 54.5 Elevated -2.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cumberland County
Cumberland County, VA 56.7 Elevated +0.1
Pulaski County, IL 56.8 Elevated +0.2
Montmorency County, MI 56.8 Elevated +0.2
St. Clair County, MO 56.3 Elevated -0.3
Sedgwick County, CO 57.0 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cumberland 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 Cumberland 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 Cumberland County, Kentucky?

    Cumberland County has a County Distress Index score of 56.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,166th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 75th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cumberland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cumberland County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 87.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Cumberland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cumberland County (56.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clinton County, KY (67.8); Adair County, KY (64.7); Russell County, KY (60.7).

  • 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 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). Cumberland County's score of 56.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cumberland 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 Cumberland County?

    Cumberland County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 6,000 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.