Nelson County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.7 | 47,730 people · 108th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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

Nelson County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.7 — 2501st 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 108th of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Nelson County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 49.6 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 49.6
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 68
Student Loan Delinquency 1
Auto Loan Delinquency 37
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 91
Housing Cost Burden 43.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 48
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Income & Poverty 34.7
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 41
Community Vulnerability 30.9
Uninsured Rate 19
Disability Rate 43
Employment & Wages 30.2
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 17
Business Formation Rate 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Nelson County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Nelson County
Nelson County, KY 37.7 Normal —
Washington County, KY 51.0 Elevated +13.3
Marion County, KY 48.5 Normal +10.8
Hardin County, KY 47.6 Normal +9.9
Larue County, KY 46.8 Normal +9.1
Anderson County, KY 41.2 Normal +3.5
Bullitt County, KY 36.1 Normal -1.6
Spencer County, KY 32.9 Healthy -4.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Nelson County
Knox County, ME 37.7 Normal 0.0
Floyd County, VA 37.7 Normal -0.0
Warren County, VA 37.8 Normal +0.1
North Slope Borough, AK 37.6 Normal -0.1
Emery County, UT 37.8 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Nelson 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 Nelson 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 Nelson County, Kentucky?

    Nelson County has a County Distress Index score of 37.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,501st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 108th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Nelson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Nelson County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 49.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Nelson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Nelson County (37.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Washington County, KY (51.0); Marion County, KY (48.5); Hardin County, KY (47.6).

  • 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 Nelson County?

    Nelson County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 47,730 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.