Estill County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.0 | 13,936 people · 16th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Estill County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.0 — 386th 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 16th of 120 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Estill County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 89.5 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 89.5
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 83
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 86.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Consumer Credit Distress 77.9
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 31
Subprime Credit Population 76
Economic Vitality 52.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 24
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 82
House Price Change (YoY) 89
Housing Cost Burden 43.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 43
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Estill County
Estill County, KY 70.0 Serious —
Powell County, KY 74.8 Serious +4.8
Lee County, KY 72.7 Serious +2.7
Jackson County, KY 67.9 Serious -2.1
Clark County, KY 57.4 Elevated -12.7
Madison County, KY 56.6 Elevated -13.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Estill County
St. Helena Parish, LA 70.0 Serious -0.0
Duplin County, NC 70.0 Serious -0.0
Butler County, MO 70.0 Serious -0.0
New Madrid County, MO 70.1 Serious +0.0
Clarke County, MS 70.1 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Estill 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 Estill 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 Estill County, Kentucky?

    Estill County has a County Distress Index score of 70.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 386th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Estill County?

    The primary driver of distress in Estill County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 89.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Estill County compare to neighboring counties?

    Estill County (70.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Powell County, KY (74.8); Lee County, KY (72.7); 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). Estill County's score of 70.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Estill 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 Estill County?

    Estill County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 13,936 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.