Grayson County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.5 | 26,825 people · 78th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Grayson County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.5 — 1173rd 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 78th 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. Grayson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 75.2 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 75.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Structural Poverty 75.2
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 77
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Consumer Credit Distress 67.5
Debt in Collections 72
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 59
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 64
Economic Vitality 38.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 49
Housing Cost Burden 22.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 24
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 15
Homeownership Rate 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Grayson County
Grayson County, KY 56.5 Elevated —
Butler County, KY 60.7 Elevated +4.2
Hart County, KY 58.8 Elevated +2.2
Hardin County, KY 58.0 Elevated +1.5
Ohio County, KY 54.7 Elevated -1.8
Edmonson County, KY 54.0 Elevated -2.5
Breckinridge County, KY 52.0 Elevated -4.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Grayson County
Calloway County, KY 56.5 Elevated -0.0
Washington County, AL 56.5 Elevated +0.0
Anderson County, KY 56.5 Elevated -0.0
Washington County, KY 56.6 Elevated +0.1
Cherokee County, AL 56.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Grayson 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 Grayson 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 Grayson County, Kentucky?

    Grayson County has a County Distress Index score of 56.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,173rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 78th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Grayson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Grayson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 75.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Grayson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Grayson County (56.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Butler County, KY (60.7); Hart County, KY (58.8); Hardin County, KY (58.0).

  • 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). Grayson County's score of 56.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Grayson 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 Grayson County?

    Grayson County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 26,825 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.