Woodford County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Healthy · 34.6 | 27,268 people · 119th most distressed in Kentucky
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Woodford County, KY ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 34.6 — 2496th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filings are moderately elevated. Within Kentucky, it ranks 119th 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. Woodford County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 63.6 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 63.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 64
Economic Vitality 56.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 90
Housing Cost Burden 39.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 46
Homeownership Rate 64
Consumer Credit Distress 28.5
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Uninsured Rate 9
Subprime Credit Population 34
Structural Poverty 17.3
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 25
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 23
Disability Rate 25
Transfer Income Dependency 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Woodford County
Woodford County, KY 34.6 Healthy —
Franklin County, KY 57.5 Elevated +22.8
Anderson County, KY 56.5 Elevated +21.8
Mercer County, KY 56.1 Elevated +21.4
Fayette County, KY 55.8 Elevated +21.2
Jessamine County, KY 47.0 Normal +12.4
Scott County, KY 42.1 Normal +7.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Woodford County
Greene County, IL 34.6 Healthy -0.0
Morton County, ND 34.6 Healthy -0.0
Stark County, ND 34.6 Healthy -0.0
Stevens County, WA 34.7 Healthy +0.0
Wyandot County, OH 34.7 Healthy +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Woodford 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 Woodford 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 Woodford County, Kentucky?

    Woodford County has a County Distress Index score of 34.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,496th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 119th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Woodford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Woodford County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 63.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Woodford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Woodford County (34.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Franklin County, KY (57.5); Anderson County, KY (56.5); Mercer County, KY (56.1).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Woodford County's score of 34.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Woodford 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 Woodford County?

    Woodford County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 27,268 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.