Ohio County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.7 | 23,626 people · 88th most distressed in Kentucky
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Ohio County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.7 — 1294th 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 88th of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ohio County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 76.3 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 76.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Structural Poverty 69.2
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 60
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Consumer Credit Distress 61.0
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 73
Economic Vitality 38.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 35
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 83
House Price Change (YoY) 10
Housing Cost Burden 31.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 13
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ohio County
Ohio County, KY 54.7 Elevated —
Butler County, KY 60.7 Elevated +6.1
Muhlenberg County, KY 57.4 Elevated +2.7
Grayson County, KY 56.5 Elevated +1.8
Breckinridge County, KY 52.0 Elevated -2.7
Daviess County, KY 50.4 Elevated -4.3
McLean County, KY 48.1 Normal -6.6
Hancock County, KY 38.3 Normal -16.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ohio County
Phelps County, MO 54.7 Elevated +0.0
Cleburne County, AL 54.7 Elevated -0.0
Greenbrier County, WV 54.6 Elevated -0.1
Jefferson County, IL 54.8 Elevated +0.1
Washington County, ID 54.8 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio County, Kentucky?

    Ohio County has a County Distress Index score of 54.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,294th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 88th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ohio County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ohio County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 76.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Ohio County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ohio County (54.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Butler County, KY (60.7); Muhlenberg County, KY (57.4); Grayson County, KY (56.5).

  • 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). Ohio County's score of 54.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Ohio 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 Ohio County?

    Ohio County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 23,626 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.