Livingston County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.8 | 8,892 people · 82nd most distressed in Kentucky
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Livingston County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.8 — 1211th 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 82nd of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Livingston County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 88.8 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 88.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Structural Poverty 69.2
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Consumer Credit Distress 66.6
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 37
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 13
Subprime Credit Population 71
Economic Vitality 55.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 85
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 13.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Livingston County
Livingston County, KY 55.8 Elevated —
McCracken County, KY 57.7 Elevated +1.9
Crittenden County, KY 54.2 Elevated -1.7
Marshall County, KY 49.0 Normal -6.8
Lyon County, KY 48.7 Normal -7.2
Massac County, IL 48.2 Normal -7.7
Hardin County, IL 40.6 Normal -15.3
Pope County, IL 33.4 Healthy -22.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Livingston County
Motley County, TX 56.1 Elevated +0.2
Childress County, TX 56.1 Elevated +0.3
Hamilton County, TX 56.2 Elevated +0.3
Hidalgo County, NM 55.5 Elevated -0.4
Kenedy County, TX 55.5 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Livingston 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 Livingston 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 Livingston County, Kentucky?

    Livingston County has a County Distress Index score of 55.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,211th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 82nd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Livingston County?

    The primary driver of distress in Livingston County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 88.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Livingston County compare to neighboring counties?

    Livingston County (55.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: McCracken County, KY (57.7); Crittenden County, KY (54.2); Marshall County, KY (49.0).

  • 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 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). Livingston County's score of 55.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Livingston 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 Livingston County?

    Livingston County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 8,892 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.