Magoffin County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.1 | 11,228 people · 10th most distressed in Kentucky
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Magoffin County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.1 — 343rd 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 10th of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Magoffin County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 95.0
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 72.8
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 6
Subprime Credit Population 84
Economic Vitality 68.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 70
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Housing Cost Burden 46.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 75
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Magoffin County
Magoffin County, KY 71.1 Serious —
Johnson County, KY 72.5 Serious +1.4
Wolfe County, KY 70.5 Serious -0.6
Floyd County, KY 70.4 Serious -0.7
Morgan County, KY 64.7 Elevated -6.5
Knott County, KY 63.3 Elevated -7.8
Breathitt County, KY 62.7 Elevated -8.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Magoffin County
Frio County, TX 71.1 Serious -0.0
Coffee County, GA 71.1 Serious -0.1
Matagorda County, TX 71.0 Serious -0.1
Choctaw County, OK 71.3 Serious +0.2
Sussex County, VA 71.4 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Magoffin 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 Magoffin 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 Magoffin County, Kentucky?

    Magoffin County has a County Distress Index score of 71.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 343rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Magoffin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Magoffin County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Magoffin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Magoffin County (71.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Johnson County, KY (72.5); Wolfe County, KY (70.5); Floyd County, KY (70.4).

  • 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 Serious 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). Magoffin County's score of 71.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Magoffin 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 Magoffin County?

    Magoffin County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 11,228 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.