Menifee County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.6 | 6,286 people · 53rd most distressed in Kentucky
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Menifee County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.6 — 981st 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 53rd of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Menifee County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 92.0 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 92.0
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 89.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Consumer Credit Distress 61.1
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 21
Subprime Credit Population 85
Economic Vitality 56.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 69
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Housing Cost Burden 27.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 38
Homeownership Rate 59

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Menifee County
Menifee County, KY 59.6 Elevated —
Powell County, KY 74.8 Serious +15.3
Wolfe County, KY 70.5 Serious +11.0
Rowan County, KY 66.8 Serious +7.2
Morgan County, KY 64.7 Elevated +5.1
Montgomery County, KY 55.8 Elevated -3.8
Bath County, KY 54.3 Elevated -5.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Menifee County
Galax city, VA 59.6 Elevated 0.0
Todd County, SD 59.6 Elevated +0.0
Donley County, TX 59.6 Elevated +0.0
Choctaw County, MS 59.7 Elevated +0.1
Jack County, TX 59.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Menifee 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 Menifee 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 Menifee County, Kentucky?

    Menifee County has a County Distress Index score of 59.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 981st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Menifee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Menifee County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 92.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Menifee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Menifee County (59.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Powell County, KY (74.8); Wolfe County, KY (70.5); Rowan County, KY (66.8).

  • 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). Menifee County's score of 59.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Menifee 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 Menifee County?

    Menifee County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 6,286 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.