Fleming County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.2 | 15,442 people · 57th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Fleming County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.2 — 1003rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Kentucky, it ranks 57th 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. Fleming County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 81.3 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 81.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 81
Structural Poverty 73.8
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 71
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 80
Transfer Income Dependency 82
Consumer Credit Distress 67.8
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 46
Subprime Credit Population 74
Economic Vitality 35.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 44
Business Formation Rate 46
House Price Change (YoY) 27
Housing Cost Burden 34.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 33
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fleming County
Fleming County, KY 59.2 Elevated —
Rowan County, KY 66.8 Serious +7.6
Nicholas County, KY 64.3 Elevated +5.1
Robertson County, KY 60.1 Elevated +0.9
Mason County, KY 59.9 Elevated +0.7
Lewis County, KY 55.7 Elevated -3.5
Bath County, KY 54.3 Elevated -4.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fleming County
Coosa County, AL 59.2 Elevated +0.0
Jennings County, IN 59.2 Elevated -0.0
Rhea County, TN 59.2 Elevated -0.0
Izard County, AR 59.2 Elevated -0.0
Jasper County, SC 59.3 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fleming 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 Fleming 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 Fleming County, Kentucky?

    Fleming County has a County Distress Index score of 59.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,003rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 57th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fleming County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fleming County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 81.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Fleming County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fleming County (59.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Rowan County, KY (66.8); Nicholas County, KY (64.3); Robertson County, KY (60.1).

  • 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). Fleming County's score of 59.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Fleming 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 Fleming County?

    Fleming County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 15,442 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.