Larue County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.0 | 15,303 people · 87th most distressed in Kentucky
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Larue County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.0 — 1272nd 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 87th of 120 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Larue County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 83.8 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 83.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Consumer Credit Distress 56.8
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 11
Subprime Credit Population 57
Structural Poverty 55.0
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 69
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Economic Vitality 47.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Business Formation Rate 39
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 44.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 19
Homeownership Rate 43

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Larue County
Larue County, KY 55.0 Elevated —
Taylor County, KY 59.5 Elevated +4.6
Hart County, KY 58.8 Elevated +3.8
Hardin County, KY 58.0 Elevated +3.0
Marion County, KY 53.0 Elevated -2.0
Green County, KY 51.6 Elevated -3.4
Nelson County, KY 47.2 Normal -7.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Larue County
Staunton city, VA 55.0 Elevated 0.0
Ohio County, WV 54.9 Elevated -0.0
Hardin County, OH 54.9 Elevated -0.0
Ogemaw County, MI 54.9 Elevated -0.1
Manassas Park city, VA 55.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Larue 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 Larue 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 Larue County, Kentucky?

    Larue County has a County Distress Index score of 55.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,272nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 87th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Larue County?

    The primary driver of distress in Larue County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 83.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Larue County compare to neighboring counties?

    Larue County (55.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Taylor County, KY (59.5); Hart County, KY (58.8); Hardin County, KY (58.0).

  • 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 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). Larue County's score of 55.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Larue 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 Larue County?

    Larue County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 15,303 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.