Garrard County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.9 | 17,829 people · 73rd most distressed in Kentucky
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Garrard County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.9 — 1153rd 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 73rd of 120 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Garrard County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 77.8 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 77.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Housing Cost Burden 62.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 69
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 20
Consumer Credit Distress 57.1
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 60
Structural Poverty 56.7
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Economic Vitality 26.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 24
Rent-to-Income Ratio 13
Business Formation Rate 35
House Price Change (YoY) 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Garrard County
Garrard County, KY 56.9 Elevated —
Rockcastle County, KY 65.1 Serious +8.2
Boyle County, KY 62.7 Elevated +5.9
Lincoln County, KY 57.8 Elevated +0.9
Madison County, KY 56.6 Elevated -0.3
Mercer County, KY 56.1 Elevated -0.8
Jessamine County, KY 47.0 Normal -9.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Garrard County
Lawrence County, TN 56.9 Elevated +0.0
Shoshone County, ID 56.8 Elevated -0.0
Owen County, KY 56.9 Elevated +0.0
Johnson County, TN 56.8 Elevated -0.1
Obion County, TN 56.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Garrard 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 Garrard 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 Garrard County, Kentucky?

    Garrard County has a County Distress Index score of 56.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,153rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 73rd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Garrard County?

    The primary driver of distress in Garrard County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 77.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Garrard County compare to neighboring counties?

    Garrard County (56.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Rockcastle County, KY (65.1); Boyle County, KY (62.7); Lincoln County, KY (57.8).

  • 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). Garrard County's score of 56.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Garrard 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 Garrard County?

    Garrard County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 17,829 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.