Hart County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.8 | 19,724 people · 61st most distressed in Kentucky
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Hart County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.8 — 1034th 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 61st of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hart County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 72.7 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 72.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Consumer Credit Distress 71.5
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 65
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 67
Structural Poverty 70.0
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 77
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 75
Housing Cost Burden 32.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 54
Economic Vitality 28.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Rent-to-Income Ratio 40
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hart County
Hart County, KY 58.8 Elevated —
Barren County, KY 67.1 Serious +8.3
Hardin County, KY 58.0 Elevated -0.8
Metcalfe County, KY 56.6 Elevated -2.1
Grayson County, KY 56.5 Elevated -2.2
Larue County, KY 55.0 Elevated -3.8
Edmonson County, KY 54.0 Elevated -4.8
Green County, KY 51.6 Elevated -7.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hart County
Meigs County, OH 58.8 Elevated +0.0
Blackford County, IN 58.7 Elevated -0.0
Cedar County, MO 58.8 Elevated +0.0
Alamosa County, CO 58.7 Elevated -0.1
Perry County, OH 58.8 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hart 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 Hart 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 Hart County, Kentucky?

    Hart County has a County Distress Index score of 58.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,034th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 61st in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hart County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hart County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 72.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Hart County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hart County (58.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Barren County, KY (67.1); Hardin County, KY (58.0); Metcalfe County, KY (56.6).

  • 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). Hart County's score of 58.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Hart 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 Hart County?

    Hart County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 19,724 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.