Webster County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.3 | 12,726 people · 112th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Webster County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.3 — 1937th 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 112th of 120 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Webster County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 88.2 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 88.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Structural Poverty 60.2
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 64
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 57
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Consumer Credit Distress 50.7
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Uninsured Rate 28
Subprime Credit Population 50
Economic Vitality 19.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 7
Rent-to-Income Ratio 16
Business Formation Rate 64
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 16.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 57

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Webster County
Webster County, KY 44.3 Normal —
Caldwell County, KY 59.5 Elevated +15.2
Henderson County, KY 59.4 Elevated +15.1
Hopkins County, KY 59.0 Elevated +14.7
Crittenden County, KY 54.2 Elevated +9.9
Union County, KY 53.8 Elevated +9.5
McLean County, KY 48.1 Normal +3.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Webster County
Macon County, MO 44.3 Normal -0.0
Campbell County, WY 44.3 Normal +0.0
Lawrence County, IL 44.2 Normal -0.1
Christian County, IL 44.4 Normal +0.1
Logan County, CO 44.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Webster 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 Webster 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 Webster County, Kentucky?

    Webster County has a County Distress Index score of 44.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,937th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 112th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Webster County?

    The primary driver of distress in Webster County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 88.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Webster County compare to neighboring counties?

    Webster County (44.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Caldwell County, KY (59.5); Henderson County, KY (59.4); Hopkins 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). Webster County's score of 44.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Webster 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 Webster County?

    Webster County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 12,726 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.