Scott County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.1 | 60,168 people · 114th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Scott County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.1 — 2063rd 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 114th of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Scott County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 79.9 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 79.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Consumer Credit Distress 47.0
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 42
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 16
Subprime Credit Population 55
Housing Cost Burden 40.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 40
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 61
Economic Vitality 25.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 24
Business Formation Rate 46
House Price Change (YoY) 46
Structural Poverty 18.1
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 22
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Scott County, KY 42.1 Normal —
Bourbon County, KY 64.8 Elevated +22.7
Harrison County, KY 60.5 Elevated +18.4
Grant County, KY 59.0 Elevated +16.9
Franklin County, KY 57.5 Elevated +15.4
Owen County, KY 56.9 Elevated +14.8
Fayette County, KY 55.8 Elevated +13.8
Woodford County, KY 34.6 Healthy -7.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Whatcom County, WA 42.0 Normal -0.0
Sumter County, FL 42.2 Normal +0.1
Belknap County, NH 42.2 Normal +0.2
Nevada County, CA 41.9 Normal -0.2
Butler County, KS 42.3 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Scott 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 Scott 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Scott County has a County Distress Index score of 42.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,063rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 114th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scott County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scott County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 79.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Scott County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scott County (42.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Bourbon County, KY (64.8); Harrison County, KY (60.5); Grant County, KY (59.0).

  • 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 Normal 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). Scott County's score of 42.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Scott 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 Scott County?

    Scott County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 60,168 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.