Limestone County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.2 | 114,654 people · 67th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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

Limestone County, AL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.2 — 1941st 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 67th of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Limestone County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 81.3 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 81.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 81
Consumer Credit Distress 54.5
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 55
Economic Vitality 45.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 30
Business Formation Rate 47
House Price Change (YoY) 64
Housing Cost Burden 28.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 25
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 29
Homeownership Rate 33
Structural Poverty 12.9
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 16
Disability Rate 31
Transfer Income Dependency 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Limestone County
Limestone County, AL 44.2 Normal —
Morgan County, AL 58.3 Elevated +14.1
Lauderdale County, AL 56.6 Elevated +12.4
Lawrence County, AL 54.9 Elevated +10.7
Giles County, TN 53.4 Elevated +9.2
Lincoln County, TN 53.3 Elevated +9.0
Madison County, AL 52.3 Elevated +8.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Limestone County
Franklin County, MO 44.2 Normal -0.0
Cayuga County, NY 44.2 Normal +0.0
Scott County, IA 44.2 Normal -0.1
Carteret County, NC 44.3 Normal +0.1
Maui County, HI 44.1 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Limestone County

Find an Attorney

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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Limestone County residents at no cost.

Legal Services Alabama 1-866-456-4995
Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-392-5660

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 Alabama →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Limestone County has a County Distress Index score of 44.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,941st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Limestone County?

    The primary driver of distress in Limestone County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 81.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Limestone County compare to neighboring counties?

    Limestone County (44.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Morgan County, AL (58.3); Lauderdale County, AL (56.6); Lawrence County, AL (54.9).

  • 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 Normal 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). Limestone County's score of 44.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Limestone 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 Limestone County?

    Limestone County, Alabama has a population of approximately 114,654 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.