Simpson County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.0 | 20,195 people · 20th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Simpson County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.0 — 493rd 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 20th of 120 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Simpson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 97.2 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 97.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 97
Consumer Credit Distress 72.5
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 96
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 76
Housing Cost Burden 70.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 55
Homeownership Rate 81
Economic Vitality 48.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 44
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 39
Structural Poverty 46.2
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 51
Disability Rate 44
Transfer Income Dependency 59

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Simpson County
Simpson County, KY 68.0 Serious —
Warren County, KY 63.8 Elevated -4.2
Allen County, KY 63.5 Elevated -4.5
Robertson County, TN 57.1 Elevated -10.9
Logan County, KY 55.4 Elevated -12.6
Sumner County, TN 50.0 Elevated -18.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Simpson County
Franklin Parish, LA 68.0 Serious +0.0
Martin County, KY 68.1 Serious +0.0
Bacon County, GA 68.1 Serious +0.1
Cherokee County, OK 68.1 Serious +0.1
Pittsburg County, OK 67.9 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Simpson 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 Simpson 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 Simpson County, Kentucky?

    Simpson County has a County Distress Index score of 68.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 493rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Simpson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Simpson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 97.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Simpson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Simpson County (68.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Warren County, KY (63.8); Allen County, KY (63.5); Robertson County, TN (57.1).

  • 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). Simpson County's score of 68.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Simpson 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 Simpson County?

    Simpson County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 20,195 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.