Leslie County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.9 | 9,864 people · 52nd most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Leslie County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.9 — 956th 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 52nd of 120 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Leslie 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 89.5
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 67.4
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 88
Economic Vitality 61.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 38
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Housing Cost Burden 13.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 16
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Leslie County
Leslie County, KY 59.9 Elevated —
Bell County, KY 79.9 Serious +20.0
Clay County, KY 73.0 Serious +13.0
Harlan County, KY 70.7 Serious +10.8
Perry County, KY 64.3 Elevated +4.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Leslie County
Iron County, MO 59.8 Elevated -0.1
Ohio County, IN 59.8 Elevated -0.2
Robertson County, KY 60.1 Elevated +0.2
Graham County, NC 60.1 Elevated +0.2
Jack County, TX 59.7 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Leslie 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 Leslie 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

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Leslie County, Kentucky?

    Leslie County has a County Distress Index score of 59.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 956th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Leslie County?

    The primary driver of distress in Leslie 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 Leslie County compare to neighboring counties?

    Leslie County (59.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Bell County, KY (79.9); Clay County, KY (73.0); Harlan County, KY (70.7).

  • 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). Leslie County's score of 59.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Leslie 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 Leslie County?

    Leslie County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 9,864 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.