Hardin County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.0 | 112,273 people · 64th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Hardin County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.0 — 1078th 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 64th of 120 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hardin County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 93.5 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 93.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Consumer Credit Distress 66.1
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 68
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 24
Subprime Credit Population 69
Structural Poverty 47.5
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 65
Transfer Income Dependency 50
Housing Cost Burden 46.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 49
Homeownership Rate 90
Economic Vitality 31.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 32
Business Formation Rate 35
House Price Change (YoY) 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hardin County
Hardin County, KY 58.0 Elevated —
Jefferson County, KY 61.7 Elevated +3.7
Hart County, KY 58.8 Elevated +0.8
Grayson County, KY 56.5 Elevated -1.5
Larue County, KY 55.0 Elevated -3.0
Breckinridge County, KY 52.0 Elevated -6.0
Meade County, KY 50.0 Normal -8.0
Nelson County, KY 47.2 Normal -10.8
Bullitt County, KY 46.2 Normal -11.8
Harrison County, IN 38.3 Normal -19.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hardin County
Hawkins County, TN 57.9 Elevated -0.0
Muskegon County, MI 57.9 Elevated -0.1
Sullivan County, TN 58.0 Elevated +0.1
Berkeley County, WV 57.9 Elevated -0.1
Washington County, TN 57.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hardin 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County, Kentucky?

    Hardin County has a County Distress Index score of 58.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,078th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hardin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hardin County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 93.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Hardin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hardin County (58.0) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, KY (61.7); Hart County, KY (58.8); Grayson County, KY (56.5).

  • 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). Hardin County's score of 58.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Hardin 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 Hardin County?

    Hardin County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 112,273 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.