Gallatin County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.6 | 8,792 people · 39th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Gallatin County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.6 — 734th 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 39th of 120 counties. It scores higher 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. Gallatin County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 74.3
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 64
Subprime Credit Population 86
Economic Vitality 58.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 85
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Structural Poverty 44.9
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 53
Housing Cost Burden 44.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 60
Homeownership Rate 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Gallatin County
Gallatin County, KY 63.6 Elevated —
Carroll County, KY 60.7 Elevated -2.9
Grant County, KY 59.0 Elevated -4.6
Owen County, KY 56.9 Elevated -6.7
Switzerland County, IN 55.5 Elevated -8.1
Boone County, KY 42.5 Normal -21.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Gallatin County
Lincoln County, GA 63.7 Elevated +0.1
Haskell County, TX 63.5 Elevated -0.1
Cleveland County, AR 63.5 Elevated -0.1
Issaquena County, MS 63.8 Elevated +0.2
Delta County, TX 63.8 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gallatin 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 Gallatin 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 Gallatin County, Kentucky?

    Gallatin County has a County Distress Index score of 63.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 734th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gallatin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gallatin County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Gallatin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gallatin County (63.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Carroll County, KY (60.7); Grant County, KY (59.0); Owen County, KY (56.9).

  • 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 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). Gallatin County's score of 63.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Gallatin 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 Gallatin County?

    Gallatin County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 8,792 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.