Lincoln County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.8 | 24,776 people · 65th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Lincoln County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.8 — 1094th 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 65th of 120 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lincoln County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 80.2 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 80.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Structural Poverty 76.7
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 69
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Consumer Credit Distress 64.0
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Uninsured Rate 25
Subprime Credit Population 72
Economic Vitality 37.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 42
Business Formation Rate 54
House Price Change (YoY) 16
Housing Cost Burden 33.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 34
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 33
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 40
Homeownership Rate 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, KY 57.8 Elevated —
Casey County, KY 69.5 Serious +11.7
Rockcastle County, KY 65.1 Serious +7.3
Pulaski County, KY 64.9 Elevated +7.1
Boyle County, KY 62.7 Elevated +5.0
Garrard County, KY 56.9 Elevated -0.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Pickens County, GA 57.8 Elevated 0.0
Gallia County, OH 57.8 Elevated 0.0
Franklin County, FL 57.8 Elevated -0.0
Knox County, IL 57.8 Elevated +0.0
Henderson County, TN 57.8 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln County, Kentucky?

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 57.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,094th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 65th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 80.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lincoln County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lincoln County (57.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Casey County, KY (69.5); Rockcastle County, KY (65.1); Pulaski County, KY (64.9).

  • 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). Lincoln County's score of 57.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lincoln 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 Lincoln County?

    Lincoln County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 24,776 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.