Johnson County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.5 | 22,116 people · 8th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Johnson County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.5 — 292nd 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 8th of 120 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Johnson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Structural Poverty 92.6
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 96
Transfer Income Dependency 99
Consumer Credit Distress 77.5
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 63
Credit Card Delinquency 99
Uninsured Rate 32
Subprime Credit Population 85
Economic Vitality 52.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 71
House Price Change (YoY) 17
Housing Cost Burden 49.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 43
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 33
Homeownership Rate 81

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Johnson County, KY 72.5 Serious —
Magoffin County, KY 71.1 Serious -1.4
Floyd County, KY 70.4 Serious -2.1
Martin County, KY 68.1 Serious -4.4
Lawrence County, KY 65.7 Serious -6.8
Morgan County, KY 64.7 Elevated -7.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Candler County, GA 72.5 Serious -0.0
Bradley County, AR 72.4 Serious -0.0
Warren County, NC 72.4 Serious -0.0
Hempstead County, AR 72.6 Serious +0.1
Clark County, AR 72.4 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County, Kentucky?

    Johnson County has a County Distress Index score of 72.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 292nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Johnson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Johnson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Johnson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Johnson County (72.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Magoffin County, KY (71.1); Floyd County, KY (70.4); Martin County, KY (68.1).

  • 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 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). Johnson County's score of 72.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Johnson 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 Johnson County?

    Johnson County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 22,116 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.