Lee County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.7 | 7,293 people · 7th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Lee County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.7 — 278th 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 7th of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lee County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 91.4 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 91.4
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 77.5
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 76
Uninsured Rate 16
Subprime Credit Population 93
Economic Vitality 72.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Housing Cost Burden 59.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 47
Legal Distress 48.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lee County, KY 72.7 Serious —
Powell County, KY 74.8 Serious +2.1
Wolfe County, KY 70.5 Serious -2.2
Estill County, KY 70.0 Serious -2.7
Jackson County, KY 67.9 Serious -4.8
Owsley County, KY 64.9 Elevated -7.8
Breathitt County, KY 62.7 Elevated -10.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Jenkins County, GA 72.7 Serious -0.1
Dimmit County, TX 72.8 Serious +0.1
Hancock County, TN 72.7 Serious -0.1
Greene County, AL 72.9 Serious +0.1
Wilkinson County, GA 73.0 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lee 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 Lee 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 Lee County, Kentucky?

    Lee County has a County Distress Index score of 72.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 278th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lee County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 91.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Lee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lee County (72.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Powell County, KY (74.8); Wolfe County, KY (70.5); Estill County, KY (70.0).

  • 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 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). Lee County's score of 72.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Lee 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 Lee County?

    Lee County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 7,293 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.