Edmonson County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.0 | 12,448 people · 92nd most distressed in Kentucky
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Edmonson County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.0 — 1339th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Kentucky, it ranks 92nd of 120 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Edmonson County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 74.4 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 74.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Legal Distress 72.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Structural Poverty 69.2
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 45
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Consumer Credit Distress 60.4
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 61
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 41
Subprime Credit Population 67
Housing Cost Burden 16.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 13
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Edmonson County
Edmonson County, KY 54.0 Elevated —
Barren County, KY 67.1 Serious +13.1
Warren County, KY 63.8 Elevated +9.8
Butler County, KY 60.7 Elevated +6.8
Hart County, KY 58.8 Elevated +4.8
Grayson County, KY 56.5 Elevated +2.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Edmonson County
Perquimans County, NC 54.0 Elevated 0.0
Kalkaska County, MI 54.0 Elevated +0.0
Yell County, AR 53.9 Elevated -0.1
Wright County, MO 53.9 Elevated -0.1
Knox County, IN 53.8 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

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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 Edmonson 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 Edmonson County, Kentucky?

    Edmonson County has a County Distress Index score of 54.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,339th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 92nd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Edmonson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Edmonson County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 74.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Edmonson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Edmonson County (54.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Barren County, KY (67.1); Warren County, KY (63.8); Butler 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). Edmonson County's score of 54.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Edmonson 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 Edmonson County?

    Edmonson County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 12,448 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.