Lawrence County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.7 | 16,000 people · 27th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Lawrence County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.7 — 608th 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 27th 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. Lawrence County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 88.9 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 88.9
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 88
Income vs. State Median 87
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 84.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Consumer Credit Distress 74.7
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 81
Economic Vitality 67.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 87
Housing Cost Burden 25.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 15
Homeownership Rate 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lawrence County
Lawrence County, KY 65.7 Serious —
Johnson County, KY 72.5 Serious +6.8
Martin County, KY 68.1 Serious +2.3
Boyd County, KY 65.8 Serious +0.1
Carter County, KY 65.4 Serious -0.3
Morgan County, KY 64.7 Elevated -1.0
Elliott County, KY 61.2 Elevated -4.5
Wayne County, WV 61.0 Elevated -4.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lawrence County
Amite County, MS 65.7 Serious -0.0
Boyd County, KY 65.8 Serious +0.1
Dixie County, FL 65.6 Serious -0.1
Suwannee County, FL 65.6 Serious -0.1
Howard County, TX 65.5 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, Kentucky?

    Lawrence County has a County Distress Index score of 65.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 608th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lawrence County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lawrence County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 88.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Lawrence County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lawrence County (65.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Johnson County, KY (72.5); Martin County, KY (68.1); Boyd County, KY (65.8).

  • 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). Lawrence County's score of 65.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Lawrence 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 Lawrence County?

    Lawrence County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 16,000 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.