Lamar County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.5 | 13,661 people · 42nd most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Lamar County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.5 — 917th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Alabama, it ranks 42nd of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lamar County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 93.1 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 93.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Structural Poverty 67.5
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 90
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Consumer Credit Distress 67.2
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 58
Subprime Credit Population 82
Housing Cost Burden 44.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 63
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 52
Economic Vitality 27.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 78
House Price Change (YoY) 67

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lamar County
Lamar County, AL 60.5 Elevated —
Pickens County, AL 69.6 Serious +9.1
Lowndes County, MS 67.3 Serious +6.8
Monroe County, MS 65.4 Serious +4.9
Marion County, AL 63.6 Elevated +3.1
Fayette County, AL 61.9 Elevated +1.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lamar County
Wyoming County, WV 60.5 Elevated 0.0
Prentiss County, MS 60.5 Elevated -0.0
Hancock County, WV 60.5 Elevated -0.0
Harrison County, KY 60.5 Elevated -0.0
Montgomery County, KS 60.5 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

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Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-392-5660

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Legal aid organizations serving Lamar County residents at no cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Lamar County, Alabama?

    Lamar County has a County Distress Index score of 60.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 917th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lamar County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lamar County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 93.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lamar County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lamar County (60.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Pickens County, AL (69.6); Lowndes County, MS (67.3); Monroe County, MS (65.4).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Lamar County's score of 60.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Lamar County's CDI score?

    Lamar County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Lamar County?

    Lamar County, Alabama has a population of approximately 13,661 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.