In Johnson County, Kentucky, benefit checks have brought in more money than paychecks since 2019
In 2024, 47 cents of every dollar of income here came from benefit checks, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and veterans' benefits. That was a larger share than across the country.
More distressed than 93% of U.S. counties.
What drives Johnson County's score
In Johnson County, jobs weigh most: the score for jobs is 93.1. Unemployment averaged 6.1%, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026, higher than in 94% of U.S. counties. Collections and bankruptcy comes next, at 91.5.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Johnson County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Johnson County does better than most counties on two measures: renters paying half their income or more in rent (13.6%, 2020 to 2024) and people without health insurance (6.4%, 2020 to 2024).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 93.1 of 100
Jobs
Biggest factorUnemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year6.1% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202694th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working31.6% · 2020 to 202492nd percentile
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- 91.5 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector34.3% · August 202584th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people510.9 · 202598th percentile
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- 82.6 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind11.8% · August 202597th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind6.1% · August 202562nd percentile
- People with a subprime credit score53.7% · second quarter of 202687th percentile
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- 79.7 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line20.9% · 202489th percentile
- Children below the poverty line25.3% · 202482nd percentile
- People with a disability26.1% · 2020 to 202497th percentile
- People without health insurance6.4% · 2020 to 202435th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$49,122 · 202492nd percentile
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- 44.8 of 100
Housing costs
Renters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent13.6% · 2020 to 202425th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income22.2% · fiscal year 202764th percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Johnson County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Johnson County, 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Johnson County
Kentucky
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Johnson County, benefit checks have brought in more than pay since 2019
In Johnson County, Kentucky, benefit checks' share of income tripled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 47.1%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Johnson County getting SNAP food aid had its largest rise, from 22.9% in 2009 to 26.2% in 2010.
The share of households in Johnson County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2016 and has since fallen to 25.3%
Low on the chart: 22.4% in 2020. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Johnson County, Kentucky.
How Johnson County has changed
Johnson County's population had its largest rise, from 19,872 in 1974 to 24,038 in 1979.
Johnson County's population was at its highest on the chart in 1984 and is down 13% since
High on the chart: 25,444 in 1984. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Johnson County, Kentucky.
The number of jobs located in Johnson County had its largest rise, from 5,715 in 1990 to 6,867 in 1995.
The number of jobs located in Johnson County was at its highest on the chart in 1995 and has since fallen by about a quarter
High on the chart: 6,867 in 1995. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Johnson County, Kentucky.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 8.1% | 2025 6.4% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 27.0% | 2024 20.9% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $18,577 | 2024 $49,122 |
The table uses 6.4% for 2025; the score uses 6.1% for the latest year (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026), both from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Johnson County's history
1940
The county's largest recorded population was the 1940 Census count of 25,771. The 2020 Census counted 22,680, 88% of the peak. Census Bureau
1990
Since the 1990s, Paintsville has seen a steady loss of population due to a downturn in the economy and the loss of coal jobs, declining from 4,345 in 1990 to 3,459 in 2010. Wikipedia
2012
A tornado in March 2012 did $10 million in property damage and killed two people. NOAA Storm Events Database
2014
A flash flood in August 2014 did $3 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2015
A flash flood in July 2015 did $3.5 million in property damage and killed four people. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 1967
46 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Johnson County, 34 of them for flooding. FEMA
Johnson County beside its neighbors
Of the five counties that border Johnson County, three score higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, Johnson County ranks 4th of the six; Martin County is highest, at 60.9%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magoffin County, KY | 99 | 30.1% | 53.5% |
| Floyd County, KY | 97 | 27.7% | 50.9% |
| Martin County, KY | 95 | 33.8% | 60.9% |
| Johnson County, KY | 93 | 20.9% | 47.1% |
| Lawrence County, KY | 93 | 23.4% | 47.0% |
| Morgan County, KY | 91 | 25.3% | 43.9% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Johnson County the poorest county in Kentucky?
No, Johnson County's poverty rate was 20.9% in 2024, 33rd highest of 120 in Kentucky (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is McCreary County, at 36.4%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Johnson County ranks 20th of 120 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Johnson County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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AppalReD Legal Aid
Legal aid
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Download the CSV for Johnson County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Johnson County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.