Harrison County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.5 | 19,415 people · 49th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Harrison County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.5 — 923rd 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 49th 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. Harrison County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 83.9 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 83.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Consumer Credit Distress 67.0
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 74
Housing Cost Burden 60.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 28
Homeownership Rate 69
Structural Poverty 48.5
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 53
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 44
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 68
Economic Vitality 24.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 8
Business Formation Rate 64
House Price Change (YoY) 73

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Harrison County
Harrison County, KY 60.5 Elevated —
Bourbon County, KY 64.8 Elevated +4.3
Nicholas County, KY 64.3 Elevated +3.9
Robertson County, KY 60.1 Elevated -0.4
Grant County, KY 59.0 Elevated -1.5
Bracken County, KY 58.8 Elevated -1.6
Pendleton County, KY 53.7 Elevated -6.8
Scott County, KY 42.1 Normal -18.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Harrison County
Prentiss County, MS 60.5 Elevated +0.0
Hancock County, WV 60.5 Elevated +0.0
Montgomery County, KS 60.5 Elevated -0.0
Lamar County, AL 60.5 Elevated +0.0
Wyoming County, WV 60.5 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Harrison 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 Harrison 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 Harrison County, Kentucky?

    Harrison County has a County Distress Index score of 60.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 923rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 49th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Harrison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Harrison County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 83.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Harrison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Harrison County (60.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Bourbon County, KY (64.8); Nicholas County, KY (64.3); Robertson County, KY (60.1).

  • 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). Harrison County's score of 60.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Harrison 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 Harrison County?

    Harrison County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 19,415 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.