Lewis County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.7 | 12,973 people · 85th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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

Lewis County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.7 — 1225th 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 85th of 120 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lewis County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 90.6 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 90.6
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 91
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 87
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 76.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Consumer Credit Distress 61.5
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 24
Subprime Credit Population 74
Economic Vitality 60.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 80
Housing Cost Burden 13.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 7
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lewis County
Lewis County, KY 55.7 Elevated —
Scioto County, OH 68.5 Serious +12.8
Adams County, OH 67.9 Serious +12.2
Rowan County, KY 66.8 Serious +11.1
Carter County, KY 65.4 Serious +9.7
Mason County, KY 59.9 Elevated +4.2
Fleming County, KY 59.2 Elevated +3.5
Greenup County, KY 57.6 Elevated +1.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lewis County
Labette County, KS 55.7 Elevated -0.0
McClain County, OK 55.6 Elevated -0.1
Moore County, TX 55.6 Elevated -0.1
Winston County, AL 55.8 Elevated +0.1
Habersham County, GA 55.6 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis County, Kentucky?

    Lewis County has a County Distress Index score of 55.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,225th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 85th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lewis County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lewis County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 90.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Lewis County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lewis County (55.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Scioto County, OH (68.5); Adams County, OH (67.9); Rowan County, KY (66.8).

  • 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 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). Lewis County's score of 55.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lewis 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 Lewis County?

    Lewis County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 12,973 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.