Mercer County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.2 | 23,097 people · 106th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Mercer County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.2 — 2337th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Kentucky, it ranks 106th 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. Mercer County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 62.0 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 62.0
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 67
Student Loan Delinquency 0
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Housing Cost Burden 47.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 53
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 35
Rent-to-Income Ratio 4
Income & Poverty 37.8
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 49
Employment & Wages 28.2
Unemployment Rate 49
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 2
Business Formation Rate 33
Community Vulnerability 25.9
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Mercer County
Mercer County, KY 40.2 Normal —
Washington County, KY 51.0 Elevated +10.8
Garrard County, KY 50.3 Elevated +10.1
Boyle County, KY 48.8 Normal +8.6
Anderson County, KY 41.2 Normal +1.0
Jessamine County, KY 38.6 Normal -1.6
Woodford County, KY 29.3 Healthy -10.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Mercer County
Carlton County, MN 40.2 Normal -0.0
Preble County, OH 40.2 Normal +0.0
Louisa County, VA 40.2 Normal +0.0
Freeborn County, MN 40.2 Normal +0.0
Davie County, NC 40.1 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mercer 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 Mercer 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 Mercer County, Kentucky?

    Mercer County has a County Distress Index score of 40.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,337th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 106th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mercer County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mercer County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 62.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Mercer County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mercer County (40.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Washington County, KY (51.0); Garrard County, KY (50.3); Boyle County, KY (48.8).

  • 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 Mercer County?

    Mercer County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 23,097 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.