Robertson County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.1 | 2,313 people · 50th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Robertson County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.1 — 942nd 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 50th of 120 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Robertson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 91.4 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 91.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 91
Structural Poverty 73.2
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 52
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Consumer Credit Distress 70.1
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 81
Auto Loan Delinquency 63
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Uninsured Rate 9
Subprime Credit Population 85
Economic Vitality 56.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 86
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Housing Cost Burden 21.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 49
Homeownership Rate 45

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Robertson County
Robertson County, KY 60.1 Elevated —
Nicholas County, KY 64.3 Elevated +4.2
Harrison County, KY 60.5 Elevated +0.4
Mason County, KY 59.9 Elevated -0.2
Fleming County, KY 59.2 Elevated -0.9
Bracken County, KY 58.8 Elevated -1.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Robertson County
Graham County, NC 60.1 Elevated +0.0
Ellis County, OK 60.2 Elevated +0.1
Mineral County, NV 60.3 Elevated +0.1
Leslie County, KY 59.9 Elevated -0.2
Iron County, MO 59.8 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Robertson 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 Robertson 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 Robertson County, Kentucky?

    Robertson County has a County Distress Index score of 60.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 942nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Robertson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Robertson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 91.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Robertson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Robertson County (60.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Nicholas County, KY (64.3); Harrison County, KY (60.5); Mason County, KY (59.9).

  • 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). Robertson County's score of 60.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Robertson 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 Robertson County?

    Robertson County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 2,313 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.