Marshall County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.0 | 31,744 people · 102nd most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Marshall County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.0 — 1644th 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 102nd 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. Marshall County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 69.7 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 69.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Housing Cost Burden 61.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 29
Homeownership Rate 10
Structural Poverty 54.3
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 27
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Consumer Credit Distress 44.9
Debt in Collections 37
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Uninsured Rate 41
Subprime Credit Population 39
Economic Vitality 16.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 1
Rent-to-Income Ratio 14
Business Formation Rate 61
House Price Change (YoY) 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marshall County
Marshall County, KY 49.0 Normal —
Trigg County, KY 58.4 Elevated +9.4
Graves County, KY 58.1 Elevated +9.1
McCracken County, KY 57.7 Elevated +8.7
Calloway County, KY 56.5 Elevated +7.5
Livingston County, KY 55.8 Elevated +6.8
Lyon County, KY 48.7 Normal -0.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marshall County
Curry County, OR 49.0 Normal -0.0
Sullivan County, NH 49.0 Normal +0.0
Lawrence County, IN 49.0 Normal +0.0
Logan County, IL 49.0 Normal -0.0
Gogebic County, MI 49.0 Normal +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marshall 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 Marshall 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 Marshall County, Kentucky?

    Marshall County has a County Distress Index score of 49.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,644th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 102nd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marshall County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marshall County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 69.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Marshall County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marshall County (49.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Trigg County, KY (58.4); Graves County, KY (58.1); McCracken County, KY (57.7).

  • 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). Marshall County's score of 49.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Marshall 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 Marshall County?

    Marshall County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 31,744 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.