Green County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.6 | 11,468 people · 99th most distressed in Kentucky
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Green County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.6 — 1477th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Kentucky, it ranks 99th of 120 counties. It scores lower 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. Green County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.5 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.5
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 75
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 68.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Consumer Credit Distress 52.0
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 48
Economic Vitality 48.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 48
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Housing Cost Burden 28.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 54
Homeownership Rate 38

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Green County
Green County, KY 51.6 Elevated —
Adair County, KY 64.7 Elevated +13.1
Taylor County, KY 59.5 Elevated +7.9
Hart County, KY 58.8 Elevated +7.1
Metcalfe County, KY 56.6 Elevated +5.0
Larue County, KY 55.0 Elevated +3.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Green County
Barton County, MO 51.6 Elevated -0.0
Wasco County, OR 51.6 Elevated -0.0
Humphreys County, TN 51.6 Elevated +0.0
Patrick County, VA 51.6 Elevated -0.0
Arenac County, MI 51.6 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Green 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 Green 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 Green County, Kentucky?

    Green County has a County Distress Index score of 51.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,477th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 99th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Green County?

    The primary driver of distress in Green County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Green County compare to neighboring counties?

    Green County (51.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Adair County, KY (64.7); Taylor County, KY (59.5); Hart County, KY (58.8).

  • 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). Green County's score of 51.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Green 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 Green County?

    Green County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 11,468 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.