Lowndes County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.7 | 9,717 people · 20th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Lowndes County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.7 — 355th 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 20th 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. Lowndes County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 82.5
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 54
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 81.7
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Housing Cost Burden 44.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 52
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 33
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 34
Economic Vitality 38.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 67

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lowndes County
Lowndes County, AL 70.7 Serious —
Dallas County, AL 84.6 Crisis +13.8
Montgomery County, AL 76.3 Serious +5.5
Wilcox County, AL 74.6 Serious +3.9
Butler County, AL 72.9 Serious +2.2
Crenshaw County, AL 66.3 Serious -4.4
Autauga County, AL 52.5 Elevated -18.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lowndes County
Perry County, AL 70.7 Serious -0.1
Wolfe County, KY 70.5 Serious -0.2
Webster County, WV 70.5 Serious -0.2
Oregon County, MO 70.5 Serious -0.3
Woodruff County, AR 71.0 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lowndes 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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lowndes County residents at no cost.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lowndes County has a County Distress Index score of 70.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 355th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lowndes County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lowndes County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lowndes County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lowndes County (70.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Dallas County, AL (84.6); Montgomery County, AL (76.3); Wilcox County, AL (74.6).

  • 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 Serious 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). Lowndes County's score of 70.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Lowndes 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 Lowndes County?

    Lowndes County, Alabama has a population of approximately 9,717 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.