Letcher County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.4 | 20,423 people · 69th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Letcher County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.4 — 1126th 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 69th of 120 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Letcher County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Structural Poverty 92.2
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 99
Transfer Income Dependency 99
Economic Vitality 58.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 97
House Price Change (YoY) 81
Consumer Credit Distress 54.7
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Uninsured Rate 6
Subprime Credit Population 85
Housing Cost Burden 27.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 23
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 59

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Letcher County
Letcher County, KY 57.4 Elevated —
Harlan County, KY 70.7 Serious +13.3
Pike County, KY 70.6 Serious +13.2
Perry County, KY 64.3 Elevated +6.9
Knott County, KY 63.3 Elevated +5.9
Wise County, VA 59.5 Elevated +2.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Letcher County
Audrain County, MO 57.4 Elevated -0.0
Southampton County, VA 57.4 Elevated -0.0
Morgan County, MO 57.4 Elevated +0.0
Clark County, KY 57.4 Elevated -0.0
Lunenburg County, VA 57.4 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Letcher 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 Letcher 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Kentucky →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Letcher County has a County Distress Index score of 57.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,126th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 69th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Letcher County?

    The primary driver of distress in Letcher County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Letcher County compare to neighboring counties?

    Letcher County (57.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Harlan County, KY (70.7); Pike County, KY (70.6); Perry County, KY (64.3).

  • 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). Letcher County's score of 57.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Letcher 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 Letcher County?

    Letcher County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 20,423 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.