Pike County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.6 | 55,973 people · 13th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Pike County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.6 — 365th 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 13th of 120 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pike 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 90.3
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 93
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 99
Transfer Income Dependency 99
Consumer Credit Distress 66.9
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 18
Subprime Credit Population 80
Housing Cost Burden 62.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 63
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 76
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 43
Homeownership Rate 46
Economic Vitality 57.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 89
House Price Change (YoY) 70

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pike County
Pike County, KY 70.6 Serious —
Floyd County, KY 70.4 Serious -0.2
Martin County, KY 68.1 Serious -2.5
Mingo County, WV 67.1 Serious -3.5
Knott County, KY 63.3 Elevated -7.3
Buchanan County, VA 61.5 Elevated -9.1
Wise County, VA 59.5 Elevated -11.1
Letcher County, KY 57.4 Elevated -13.2
Dickenson County, VA 54.3 Elevated -16.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pike County
Polk County, TX 70.6 Serious -0.0
Gaston County, NC 70.7 Serious +0.1
Jones County, MS 70.8 Serious +0.2
Pottawatomie County, OK 70.3 Serious -0.3
Vigo County, IN 70.3 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pike 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 Pike 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 Pike County, Kentucky?

    Pike County has a County Distress Index score of 70.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 365th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pike County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pike 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 Pike County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pike County (70.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Floyd County, KY (70.4); Martin County, KY (68.1); Mingo County, WV (67.1).

  • 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). Pike County's score of 70.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Pike 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 Pike County?

    Pike County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 55,973 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.