Henderson County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.4 | 44,119 people · 56th most distressed in Kentucky
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Henderson County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.4 — 995th 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 56th 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. Henderson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 87.5 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 87.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 87
Housing Cost Burden 71.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 86
Consumer Credit Distress 55.7
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 40
Auto Loan Delinquency 56
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 14
Subprime Credit Population 67
Structural Poverty 54.3
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 57
Economic Vitality 34.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 32
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 82

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Henderson County
Henderson County, KY 59.4 Elevated —
Vanderburgh County, IN 59.8 Elevated +0.4
Union County, KY 53.8 Elevated -5.6
Daviess County, KY 50.4 Elevated -9.0
McLean County, KY 48.1 Normal -11.3
Webster County, KY 44.3 Normal -15.1
Posey County, IN 30.3 Healthy -29.1
Warrick County, IN 28.2 Healthy -31.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Henderson County
Gonzales County, TX 59.4 Elevated +0.0
Stephens County, OK 59.3 Elevated -0.1
Caldwell County, KY 59.5 Elevated +0.1
Independence County, AR 59.3 Elevated -0.1
McNairy County, TN 59.5 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Henderson 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 Henderson 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 Henderson County, Kentucky?

    Henderson County has a County Distress Index score of 59.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 995th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Henderson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Henderson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 87.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Henderson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Henderson County (59.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Vanderburgh County, IN (59.8); Union County, KY (53.8); Daviess County, KY (50.4).

  • 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). Henderson County's score of 59.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Henderson 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 Henderson County?

    Henderson County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 44,119 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.