McLean County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.8 | 9,054 people · 83rd most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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McLean County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.8 — 1686th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Kentucky, it ranks 83rd of 120 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. McLean County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 72.3 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 72.3
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 91
Debt & Delinquency 55.1
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 58
Student Loan Delinquency 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 80
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Income & Poverty 48.3
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 48
Community Vulnerability 44.9
Uninsured Rate 10
Disability Rate 80
Housing Cost Burden 23.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. McLean County
McLean County, KY 48.8 Normal —
Muhlenberg County, KY 55.1 Elevated +6.3
Ohio County, KY 51.0 Elevated +2.2
Hopkins County, KY 51.0 Elevated +2.2
Henderson County, KY 50.8 Elevated +1.9
Daviess County, KY 48.4 Normal -0.5
Webster County, KY 45.5 Normal -3.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. McLean County
Knox County, MO 48.8 Normal -0.0
Fisher County, TX 48.9 Normal +0.1
Coke County, TX 48.9 Normal +0.1
Essex County, VT 49.0 Normal +0.2
Tyler County, WV 48.5 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in McLean 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 McLean 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    McLean County has a County Distress Index score of 48.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,686th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 83rd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McLean County?

    The primary driver of distress in McLean County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 72.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does McLean County compare to neighboring counties?

    McLean County (48.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Muhlenberg County, KY (55.1); Ohio County, KY (51.0); Hopkins County, KY (51.0).

  • 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 McLean County?

    McLean County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 9,054 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.