Lee County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.4 | 183,215 people · 35th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Lee County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.4 — 749th 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 35th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lee County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.6 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Housing Cost Burden 89.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 83
Consumer Credit Distress 57.6
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 72
Economic Vitality 55.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 35
House Price Change (YoY) 36
Structural Poverty 28.3
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 35
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lee County, AL 63.4 Elevated —
Russell County, AL 86.5 Crisis +23.1
Muscogee County, GA 82.1 Crisis +18.6
Macon County, AL 75.5 Serious +12.1
Chambers County, AL 68.5 Serious +5.1
Tallapoosa County, AL 52.7 Elevated -10.7
Harris County, GA 43.9 Normal -19.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Madera County, CA 63.4 Elevated 0.0
Taney County, MO 63.4 Elevated +0.0
Suffolk city, VA 63.4 Elevated +0.0
Paulding County, GA 63.4 Elevated -0.0
White County, AR 63.5 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lee County

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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 Lee County residents at no cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lee County has a County Distress Index score of 63.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 749th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lee County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lee County (63.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Russell County, AL (86.5); Muscogee County, GA (82.1); Macon County, AL (75.5).

  • 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). Lee County's score of 63.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lee 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 Lee County?

    Lee County, Alabama has a population of approximately 183,215 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.