Jackson County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.9 | 13,104 people · 21st most distressed in Kentucky
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Jackson County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.9 — 500th 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 21st of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jackson County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 91.7 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 91.7
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 85.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Consumer Credit Distress 78.5
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 80
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 20
Subprime Credit Population 76
Economic Vitality 58.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Rent-to-Income Ratio 69
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 6
Housing Cost Burden 28.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, KY 67.9 Serious —
Clay County, KY 73.0 Serious +5.1
Lee County, KY 72.7 Serious +4.8
Estill County, KY 70.0 Serious +2.1
Laurel County, KY 67.3 Serious -0.6
Rockcastle County, KY 65.1 Serious -2.8
Owsley County, KY 64.9 Elevated -3.0
Madison County, KY 56.6 Elevated -11.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Arkansas County, AR 67.9 Serious +0.0
Montague County, TX 67.9 Serious +0.0
Pittsburg County, OK 67.9 Serious +0.0
Adams County, OH 67.9 Serious -0.0
Fayette County, IN 67.8 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County, Kentucky?

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 67.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 500th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 91.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (67.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Clay County, KY (73.0); Lee County, KY (72.7); Estill County, KY (70.0).

  • 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 Serious 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). Jackson County's score of 67.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 13,104 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.