Jefferson County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.7 | 772,144 people · 44th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Jefferson County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.7 — 839th 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 44th of 120 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jefferson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 89.6 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 89.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Housing Cost Burden 74.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 90
Consumer Credit Distress 63.9
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 25
Subprime Credit Population 65
Structural Poverty 38.3
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 68
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 21
Economic Vitality 32.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 46

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, KY 61.7 Elevated —
Clark County, IN 59.1 Elevated -2.5
Hardin County, KY 58.0 Elevated -3.7
Floyd County, IN 47.3 Normal -14.4
Bullitt County, KY 46.2 Normal -15.5
Shelby County, KY 39.5 Normal -22.2
Spencer County, KY 38.5 Normal -23.2
Harrison County, IN 38.3 Normal -23.4
Oldham County, KY 19.6 Healthy -42.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
New Castle County, DE 61.7 Elevated -0.0
Tulsa County, OK 61.8 Elevated +0.1
St. Clair County, IL 61.5 Elevated -0.2
Hudson County, NJ 61.3 Elevated -0.4
Luzerne County, PA 62.1 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Jefferson County.

APPRISEN - CCCS OF THE MIDWEST - LOUISVILLE
LOUISVILLE
800-355-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseRental Help
LOUISVILLE URBAN LEAGUE
Louisville
502-585-4622 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
THE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP, INC
Louisville
502-585-5451 Website
Financial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Kentucky →

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 Jefferson 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

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Kentucky →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Jefferson County, Kentucky?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 61.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 839th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 89.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (61.7) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Clark County, IN (59.1); Hardin County, KY (58.0); Floyd County, IN (47.3).

  • 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). Jefferson County's score of 61.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 772,144 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.