Madison County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.6 | 96,735 people · 76th most distressed in Kentucky
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Madison County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.6 — 1169th 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 76th of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Madison County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.0 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Housing Cost Burden 63.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 89
Consumer Credit Distress 61.5
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 25
Subprime Credit Population 70
Structural Poverty 40.9
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 43
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 43
Economic Vitality 10.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Rent-to-Income Ratio 9
Business Formation Rate 3
House Price Change (YoY) 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Madison County, KY 56.6 Elevated —
Estill County, KY 70.0 Serious +13.5
Jackson County, KY 67.9 Serious +11.3
Rockcastle County, KY 65.1 Serious +8.5
Clark County, KY 57.4 Elevated +0.8
Garrard County, KY 56.9 Elevated +0.3
Fayette County, KY 55.8 Elevated -0.8
Jessamine County, KY 47.0 Normal -9.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Lauderdale County, AL 56.6 Elevated 0.0
Lincoln County, OR 56.5 Elevated -0.0
Maury County, TN 56.6 Elevated +0.1
Canadian County, OK 56.7 Elevated +0.1
Harrisonburg city, VA 56.8 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County, Kentucky?

    Madison County has a County Distress Index score of 56.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,169th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 76th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Madison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Madison County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Madison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Madison County (56.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Estill County, KY (70.0); Jackson County, KY (67.9); Rockcastle County, KY (65.1).

  • 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). Madison County's score of 56.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Madison 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 Madison County?

    Madison County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 96,735 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.