McCreary County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.2 | 17,050 people · 9th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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McCreary County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.2 — 302nd 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 9th of 120 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. McCreary County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 93.2 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 93.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Structural Poverty 92.3
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 85.4
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 52
Subprime Credit Population 94
Economic Vitality 58.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 64
Housing Cost Burden 30.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 37
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McCreary County
McCreary County, KY 72.2 Serious —
Wayne County, KY 70.7 Serious -1.5
Campbell County, TN 68.5 Serious -3.7
Whitley County, KY 68.2 Serious -4.0
Laurel County, KY 67.3 Serious -4.9
Scott County, TN 65.9 Serious -6.3
Pulaski County, KY 64.9 Elevated -7.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McCreary County
Palo Pinto County, TX 72.2 Serious -0.0
Luna County, NM 72.1 Serious -0.1
Hale County, AL 72.1 Serious -0.1
Hale County, TX 72.3 Serious +0.1
St. Mary Parish, LA 72.1 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in McCreary 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 McCreary 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

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for McCreary County, Kentucky?

    McCreary County has a County Distress Index score of 72.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 302nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McCreary County?

    The primary driver of distress in McCreary County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 93.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does McCreary County compare to neighboring counties?

    McCreary County (72.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wayne County, KY (70.7); Campbell County, TN (68.5); Whitley County, KY (68.2).

  • 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). McCreary County's score of 72.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    McCreary 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 McCreary County?

    McCreary County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 17,050 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.