Montgomery County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.8 | 28,527 people · 84th most distressed in Kentucky
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Montgomery County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.8 — 1221st 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 84th 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. Montgomery County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 86.5 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 86.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Consumer Credit Distress 63.3
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 68
Structural Poverty 61.1
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 66
Economic Vitality 38.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 64
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Housing Cost Burden 33.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 68
Homeownership Rate 81

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, KY 55.8 Elevated —
Powell County, KY 74.8 Serious +19.0
Bourbon County, KY 64.8 Elevated +9.0
Nicholas County, KY 64.3 Elevated +8.5
Menifee County, KY 59.6 Elevated +3.8
Clark County, KY 57.4 Elevated +1.6
Bath County, KY 54.3 Elevated -1.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
McDonald County, MO 55.8 Elevated +0.0
Prince George County, VA 55.8 Elevated +0.0
Winston County, AL 55.8 Elevated -0.0
Fentress County, TN 55.8 Elevated +0.0
Wakulla County, FL 55.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, Kentucky?

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 55.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,221st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 84th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 86.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (55.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Powell County, KY (74.8); Bourbon County, KY (64.8); Nicholas County, KY (64.3).

  • 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). Montgomery County's score of 55.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Montgomery 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 28,527 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.