Marion County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.0 | 19,834 people · 95th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Marion County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.0 — 1401st 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 95th of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Marion County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 83.0 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 83.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Structural Poverty 63.6
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Consumer Credit Distress 59.9
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 63
Housing Cost Burden 35.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 34
Economic Vitality 21.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 12
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Marion County, KY 53.0 Elevated —
Casey County, KY 69.5 Serious +16.4
Boyle County, KY 62.7 Elevated +9.7
Taylor County, KY 59.5 Elevated +6.5
Washington County, KY 56.6 Elevated +3.6
Larue County, KY 55.0 Elevated +2.0
Nelson County, KY 47.2 Normal -5.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Carroll County, AR 53.0 Elevated -0.0
Accomack County, VA 53.0 Elevated +0.0
Seneca County, NY 53.1 Elevated +0.1
Stone County, AR 53.1 Elevated +0.1
Marion County, IL 53.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marion 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 Marion 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 Marion County, Kentucky?

    Marion County has a County Distress Index score of 53.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,401st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 95th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marion County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marion County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 83.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Marion County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marion County (53.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Casey County, KY (69.5); Boyle County, KY (62.7); Taylor County, KY (59.5).

  • 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). Marion County's score of 53.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Marion 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 Marion County?

    Marion County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 19,834 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.