Wayne County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.7 | 19,580 people · 12th most distressed in Kentucky
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Wayne County, KY shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.7 — 360th 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 12th of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wayne County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 92.4 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 92.4
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 94
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 92.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Economic Vitality 66.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 89
House Price Change (YoY) 21
Consumer Credit Distress 65.8
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 36
Subprime Credit Population 83
Housing Cost Burden 62.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 94
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 62

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Wayne County, KY 70.7 Serious —
McCreary County, KY 72.2 Serious +1.5
Clinton County, KY 67.8 Serious -2.9
Scott County, TN 65.9 Serious -4.8
Pulaski County, KY 64.9 Elevated -5.8
Russell County, KY 60.7 Elevated -10.0
Pickett County, TN 46.4 Normal -24.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Union County, AR 70.7 Serious -0.0
Pasquotank County, NC 70.7 Serious +0.0
Harlan County, KY 70.7 Serious +0.0
Neshoba County, MS 70.8 Serious +0.1
Screven County, GA 70.8 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wayne 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 Wayne 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 Wayne County, Kentucky?

    Wayne County has a County Distress Index score of 70.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 360th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wayne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wayne County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 92.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Wayne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wayne County (70.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: McCreary County, KY (72.2); Clinton County, KY (67.8); Scott County, TN (65.9).

  • 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 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). Wayne County's score of 70.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Wayne 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 Wayne County?

    Wayne County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 19,580 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.