Lyon County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.7 | 9,187 people · 103rd most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Lyon County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.7 — 1666th 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 103rd 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. Lyon County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 76.2 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 76.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Structural Poverty 59.7
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 67
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 50
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Consumer Credit Distress 50.4
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 15
Subprime Credit Population 44
Housing Cost Burden 35.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 22
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 29
Homeownership Rate 12
Economic Vitality 32.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Business Formation Rate 88
House Price Change (YoY) 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lyon County
Lyon County, KY 48.7 Normal —
Caldwell County, KY 59.5 Elevated +10.8
Trigg County, KY 58.4 Elevated +9.8
Livingston County, KY 55.8 Elevated +7.2
Crittenden County, KY 54.2 Elevated +5.5
Marshall County, KY 49.0 Normal +0.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lyon County
Modoc County, CA 48.6 Normal -0.1
Gilmer County, WV 48.6 Normal -0.1
Greenwood County, KS 48.8 Normal +0.1
Union County, NM 48.5 Normal -0.1
Mills County, TX 48.4 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lyon 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 Lyon 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 Lyon County, Kentucky?

    Lyon County has a County Distress Index score of 48.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,666th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 103rd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lyon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lyon County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 76.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lyon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lyon County (48.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Caldwell County, KY (59.5); Trigg County, KY (58.4); Livingston County, KY (55.8).

  • 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 Normal 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). Lyon County's score of 48.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Lyon 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 Lyon County?

    Lyon County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 9,187 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.