Grant County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.0 | 25,619 people · 59th most distressed in Kentucky
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Grant County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.0 — 1020th 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 59th of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Grant County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 96.7 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 96.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 97
Consumer Credit Distress 66.4
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 16
Subprime Credit Population 77
Economic Vitality 58.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 42
Business Formation Rate 58
House Price Change (YoY) 89
Structural Poverty 44.0
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 50
Disability Rate 56
Transfer Income Dependency 63
Housing Cost Burden 40.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 36
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 53

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Grant County
Grant County, KY 59.0 Elevated —
Gallatin County, KY 63.6 Elevated +4.6
Harrison County, KY 60.5 Elevated +1.5
Owen County, KY 56.9 Elevated -2.1
Pendleton County, KY 53.7 Elevated -5.3
Kenton County, KY 48.0 Normal -11.0
Boone County, KY 42.5 Normal -16.5
Scott County, KY 42.1 Normal -16.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Grant County
Saline County, IL 59.0 Elevated +0.0
Washington County, IN 59.0 Elevated +0.0
Hopkins County, KY 59.0 Elevated +0.0
Franklin County, AL 59.1 Elevated +0.1
Roosevelt County, MT 59.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Grant 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 Grant 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

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Grant County, Kentucky?

    Grant County has a County Distress Index score of 59.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,020th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 59th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Grant County?

    The primary driver of distress in Grant County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 96.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Grant County compare to neighboring counties?

    Grant County (59.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Gallatin County, KY (63.6); Harrison County, KY (60.5); 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). Grant County's score of 59.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Grant 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 Grant County?

    Grant County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 25,619 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.