Knott County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.3 | 13,659 people · 41st most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Knott County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.3 — 757th 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 41st of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Knott County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Structural Poverty 92.5
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 62.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 21
Consumer Credit Distress 60.8
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 84
Housing Cost Burden 40.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 20
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 67

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Knott County
Knott County, KY 63.3 Elevated —
Magoffin County, KY 71.1 Serious +7.8
Pike County, KY 70.6 Serious +7.3
Floyd County, KY 70.4 Serious +7.1
Perry County, KY 64.3 Elevated +1.0
Breathitt County, KY 62.7 Elevated -0.6
Letcher County, KY 57.4 Elevated -5.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Knott County
Jasper County, GA 63.4 Elevated +0.0
Clarke County, AL 63.3 Elevated -0.1
Lamar County, GA 63.4 Elevated +0.1
Saline County, MO 63.4 Elevated +0.1
Gray County, TX 63.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Knott 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 Knott 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 Knott County, Kentucky?

    Knott County has a County Distress Index score of 63.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 757th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Knott County?

    The primary driver of distress in Knott County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Knott County compare to neighboring counties?

    Knott County (63.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Magoffin County, KY (71.1); Pike County, KY (70.6); Floyd County, KY (70.4).

  • 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). Knott County's score of 63.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Knott 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 Knott County?

    Knott County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 13,659 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.