In Shelby County, Kentucky, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in seven dollars of the typical household's income
In Shelby County, 14.7% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 97% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 77% of U.S. counties.
What drives Shelby County's score
In Shelby County, collections and bankruptcy is the highest-scoring part, at 60.8. Housing costs are the lowest part, at 19.0.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Shelby 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.
Even so, Shelby County is worse off than most counties on bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people (218.1, 2025).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 60.8 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Biggest factorCredit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector21.1% · August 202542nd percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people218.1 · 202579th percentile
-
- 38.4 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year3.9% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202645th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working17.6% · 2020 to 202430th percentile
-
- 32.5 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind4.5% · August 202533rd percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind4.3% · August 202536th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score34.4% · second quarter of 202627th percentile
-
- 19.7 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line9.9% · 202421st percentile
- Children below the poverty line11.4% · 202419th percentile
- People with a disability13.1% · 2020 to 202423rd percentile
- People without health insurance5.5% · 2020 to 202425th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$93,720 · 20248th percentile
-
- 19.0 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 rent15.7% · 2020 to 202435th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income14.7% · fiscal year 20272nd percentile
-
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 Shelby 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 Shelby County, 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Shelby County
Kentucky
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Shelby County, benefit checks' share of income has more than doubled since 1969, reaching 17.6% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in about four times as much as benefit checks
In Shelby County, Kentucky, benefit checks' share of income more than doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 17.6%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Shelby County getting SNAP food aid had its largest rise, from 8.5% in 2010 to 10.6% in 2011.
The share of households in Shelby County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2015 and has since fallen by about a third
Low on the chart: 8.1% in 2023. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Shelby County, Kentucky.
How Shelby County has changed
Shelby County's population had its largest rise, from 36,682 in 2004 to 41,576 in 2009.
Shelby County's population more than doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 50,124, with no dip in any year shown
Smallest rise: 1984 to 1989, reaching 24,371. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Shelby County, Kentucky.
The jobs count covers work located in the county; the population count covers residents.
The number of jobs located in Shelby County doubled to 16,522, the highest on the chart
Biggest rise: 2010 to 2015, reaching 15,707. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Shelby County, Kentucky.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 2.9% | 2025 3.9% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 12.0% | 2024 9.9% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $27,263 | 2024 $93,720 |
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Shelby County's history
1792
Founded in 1792 from land given by Jefferson County. Wikipedia
1982
A tornado in March 1982 did $25 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
1997
A flash flood in March 1997 did $1.2 million in property damage and killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2005
Lightning in August 2005 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2009
Lightning in June 2009 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2020
The county's largest recorded population was the 2020 Census count of 48,065, which is also its most recent census. Census Bureau
-
Since 1996
20 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Shelby County, 11 of them for flooding. FEMA
Shelby County beside its neighbors
Of the six counties that border Shelby County, four score higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, Shelby County ranks 6th of the seven; Franklin County is highest, at 28.9%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County, KY | 74 | 15.1% | 28.2% |
| Jefferson County, KY | 69 | 14.6% | 20.1% |
| Franklin County, KY | 59 | 12.3% | 28.9% |
| Anderson County, KY | 50 | 9.5% | 23.7% |
| Shelby County, KY | 22 | 9.9% | 17.6% |
| Spencer County, KY | 18 | 7.5% | 20.3% |
| Oldham County, KY | 4 | 6.0% | 11.3% |
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 Shelby County the poorest county in Kentucky?
No, Shelby County's poverty rate was 9.9% in 2024, 111th 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, Shelby County ranks 117th of 120 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Shelby 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.
-
Legal Aid Society
Legal aid
-
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 Shelby 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 Shelby County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.