Franklin County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.5 | 51,644 people · 68th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Franklin County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.5 — 1124th 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 68th of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 91.0 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 91.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 91
Housing Cost Burden 67.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 67
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 86
Consumer Credit Distress 58.2
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 68
Structural Poverty 39.3
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 36
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 37
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 60
Economic Vitality 28.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 17
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 76

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, KY 57.5 Elevated —
Henry County, KY 64.0 Elevated +6.5
Owen County, KY 56.9 Elevated -0.5
Anderson County, KY 56.5 Elevated -1.0
Scott County, KY 42.1 Normal -15.4
Shelby County, KY 39.5 Normal -17.9
Woodford County, KY 34.6 Healthy -22.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Lamar County, MS 57.5 Elevated +0.1
Allegany County, MD 57.4 Elevated -0.1
Caldwell County, NC 57.6 Elevated +0.1
Marshall County, AL 57.6 Elevated +0.1
Sutter County, CA 57.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, Kentucky?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 57.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,124th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 68th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 91.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (57.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Henry County, KY (64.0); Owen County, KY (56.9); Anderson County, KY (56.5).

  • 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). Franklin County's score of 57.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 51,644 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.