Hancock County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.8 | 8,920 people · 112th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Hancock County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.8 — 2549th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where health coverage gaps and disability rates are moderately elevated. Within Kentucky, it ranks 112th of 120 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hancock County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 48.0 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 48.0
Uninsured Rate 7
Disability Rate 89
Employment & Wages 44.5
Unemployment Rate 49
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 80
Debt & Delinquency 36.8
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 69
Student Loan Delinquency 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Housing Cost Burden 29.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 67
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 13
Income & Poverty 25.5
Poverty Rate 37
Income vs. State Median 12
Child Poverty Rate 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Hancock County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hancock County
Hancock County, KY 36.8 Normal —
Ohio County, KY 51.0 Elevated +14.2
Breckinridge County, KY 50.9 Elevated +14.0
Daviess County, KY 48.4 Normal +11.5
Perry County, IN 42.4 Normal +5.5
Spencer County, IN 25.8 Healthy -11.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hancock County
Teton County, MT 36.8 Normal -0.0
Rice County, KS 36.9 Normal +0.0
Pipestone County, MN 36.9 Normal +0.0
Custer County, CO 36.9 Normal +0.1
Ouray County, CO 37.0 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hancock 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 Hancock 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 Hancock County, Kentucky?

    Hancock County has a County Distress Index score of 36.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,549th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 112th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hancock County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hancock County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 48.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Hancock County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hancock County (36.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Ohio County, KY (51.0); Breckinridge County, KY (50.9); Daviess County, KY (48.4).

  • 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 Hancock County?

    Hancock County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 8,920 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.