Union County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.7 | 13,106 people · 95th most distressed in Kentucky
American Default Research

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Union County, KY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.7 — 1848th 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 95th 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. Union County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 59.5 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 59.5
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 58
Student Loan Delinquency 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Community Vulnerability 58.7
Uninsured Rate 22
Disability Rate 95
Income & Poverty 49.1
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 60
Housing Cost Burden 33.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Employment & Wages 32.7
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 59

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Union County
Union County, KY 46.7 Normal —
Crittenden County, KY 57.3 Elevated +10.5
Hardin County, IL 54.0 Elevated +7.3
Henderson County, KY 50.8 Elevated +4.0
Gallatin County, IL 47.4 Normal +0.7
Webster County, KY 45.5 Normal -1.2
Posey County, IN 26.7 Healthy -20.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Union County
Bedford County, PA 46.7 Normal 0.0
Manassas city, VA 46.7 Normal +0.0
Adair County, MO 46.6 Normal -0.1
Pontotoc County, OK 46.8 Normal +0.1
Montgomery County, IA 46.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Union 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 Union 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 Union County, Kentucky?

    Union County has a County Distress Index score of 46.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,848th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 95th in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Union County?

    The primary driver of distress in Union County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 59.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Union County compare to neighboring counties?

    Union County (46.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Crittenden County, KY (57.3); Hardin County, IL (54.0); Henderson County, KY (50.8).

  • 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 Union County?

    Union County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 13,106 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.