Franklin County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.7 | 51,644 people · 103rd most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Franklin County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.7 — 2158th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Kentucky, it ranks 103rd of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Franklin County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 61.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 61.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 67
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Debt & Delinquency 54.2
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 47
Student Loan Delinquency 3
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 91
Community Vulnerability 45.7
Uninsured Rate 30
Disability Rate 61
Income & Poverty 29.7
Poverty Rate 36
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 37
Employment & Wages 22.8
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 17
Business Formation Rate 28

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Franklin County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Franklin County
Franklin County, KY 42.7 Normal —
Henry County, KY 56.6 Elevated +13.9
Owen County, KY 49.0 Normal +6.3
Anderson County, KY 41.2 Normal -1.6
Scott County, KY 33.4 Healthy -9.3
Shelby County, KY 32.4 Healthy -10.4
Woodford County, KY 29.3 Healthy -13.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Franklin County
Centre County, PA 42.7 Normal -0.0
Coweta County, GA 42.8 Normal +0.1
Charles County, MD 42.6 Normal -0.1
Belknap County, NH 42.6 Normal -0.1
Miami County, OH 42.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin 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 Franklin 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Kentucky →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Franklin County, Kentucky?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 42.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,158th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 103rd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 61.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (42.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Henry County, KY (56.6); Owen County, KY (49.0); Anderson County, KY (41.2).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 51,644 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.