Spencer County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.5 | 20,531 people · 117th most distressed in Kentucky
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Spencer County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.5 — 2283rd 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 117th of 120 counties. It scores lower 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. Spencer County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 69.9 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 69.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Economic Vitality 58.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 61
House Price Change (YoY) 67
Consumer Credit Distress 41.7
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 62
Auto Loan Delinquency 42
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 12
Subprime Credit Population 43
Housing Cost Burden 26.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 40
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 17
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 48
Homeownership Rate 1
Structural Poverty 16.3
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 4
Disability Rate 45
Transfer Income Dependency 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Spencer County
Spencer County, KY 38.5 Normal —
Jefferson County, KY 61.7 Elevated +23.2
Anderson County, KY 56.5 Elevated +18.0
Nelson County, KY 47.2 Normal +8.7
Bullitt County, KY 46.2 Normal +7.7
Shelby County, KY 39.5 Normal +1.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Spencer County
DeKalb County, IN 38.4 Normal -0.0
Wayne County, IL 38.4 Normal -0.1
Steele County, MN 38.5 Normal +0.1
Harrison County, IN 38.3 Normal -0.2
Warren County, VA 38.2 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Spencer 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 Spencer 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 Spencer County, Kentucky?

    Spencer County has a County Distress Index score of 38.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,283rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 117th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Spencer County?

    The primary driver of distress in Spencer County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 69.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Spencer County compare to neighboring counties?

    Spencer County (38.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, KY (61.7); Anderson County, KY (56.5); Nelson County, KY (47.2).

  • 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 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). Spencer County's score of 38.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Spencer 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 Spencer County?

    Spencer County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 20,531 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.