Rowan County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.8 | 24,409 people · 25th most distressed in Kentucky
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Rowan County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.8 — 558th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Kentucky, it ranks 25th of 120 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Rowan County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 74.9 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 74.9
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Consumer Credit Distress 71.0
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 26
Subprime Credit Population 75
Legal Distress 67.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Housing Cost Burden 65.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 88
Economic Vitality 36.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 62
House Price Change (YoY) 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Rowan County
Rowan County, KY 66.8 Serious —
Carter County, KY 65.4 Serious -1.4
Morgan County, KY 64.7 Elevated -2.1
Elliott County, KY 61.2 Elevated -5.6
Menifee County, KY 59.6 Elevated -7.2
Fleming County, KY 59.2 Elevated -7.6
Lewis County, KY 55.7 Elevated -11.1
Bath County, KY 54.3 Elevated -12.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Rowan County
Ouachita County, AR 66.8 Serious -0.0
Camp County, TX 66.9 Serious +0.0
Calhoun County, SC 66.8 Serious -0.0
Wilbarger County, TX 66.7 Serious -0.1
Marion County, SC 66.9 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rowan County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Rowan County.

FRONTIER HOUSING , INC.
Morehead
606-784-2131 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

See all counselors in Kentucky →

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 Rowan 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Kentucky →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Rowan County, Kentucky?

    Rowan County has a County Distress Index score of 66.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 558th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rowan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rowan County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 74.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Rowan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rowan County (66.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Carter County, KY (65.4); Morgan County, KY (64.7); Elliott County, KY (61.2).

  • 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). Rowan County's score of 66.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Rowan 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 Rowan County?

    Rowan County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 24,409 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.