Perry County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.3 | 27,133 people · 35th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Perry County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.3 — 685th 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 35th 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. Perry County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Structural Poverty 90.8
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 99
Income vs. State Median 94
Child Poverty Rate 97
Disability Rate 99
Transfer Income Dependency 99
Consumer Credit Distress 62.6
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Uninsured Rate 1
Subprime Credit Population 84
Economic Vitality 56.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 88
House Price Change (YoY) 66
Housing Cost Burden 43.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 28
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 31
Homeownership Rate 61

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Perry County
Perry County, KY 64.3 Elevated —
Clay County, KY 73.0 Serious +8.6
Harlan County, KY 70.7 Serious +6.4
Owsley County, KY 64.9 Elevated +0.6
Knott County, KY 63.3 Elevated -1.0
Breathitt County, KY 62.7 Elevated -1.6
Leslie County, KY 59.9 Elevated -4.4
Letcher County, KY 57.4 Elevated -6.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Perry County
Hockley County, TX 64.3 Elevated 0.0
Deaf Smith County, TX 64.4 Elevated +0.0
Logan County, WV 64.3 Elevated -0.0
Macon County, TN 64.4 Elevated +0.0
Walthall County, MS 64.4 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Perry 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 Perry 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 Perry County, Kentucky?

    Perry County has a County Distress Index score of 64.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 685th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Perry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Perry County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Perry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Perry County (64.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Clay County, KY (73.0); Harlan County, KY (70.7); Owsley County, KY (64.9).

  • 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). Perry County's score of 64.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Perry 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 Perry County?

    Perry County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 27,133 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.