Lincoln County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.1 | 12,898 people · 54th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Lincoln County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.1 — 1195th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Arkansas, it ranks 54th of 75 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. Lincoln County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.0 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Structural Poverty 71.2
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 69
Transfer Income Dependency 76
Consumer Credit Distress 70.7
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 84
Economic Vitality 41.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 82
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Housing Cost Burden 9.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, AR 56.1 Elevated —
Desha County, AR 79.8 Serious +23.7
Jefferson County, AR 77.0 Serious +20.9
Drew County, AR 72.6 Serious +16.5
Arkansas County, AR 67.9 Serious +11.8
Cleveland County, AR 63.5 Elevated +7.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Polk County, AR 56.1 Elevated 0.0
Mercer County, KY 56.1 Elevated -0.0
Callahan County, TX 56.0 Elevated -0.1
Beauregard Parish, LA 56.2 Elevated +0.1
Calhoun County, TX 56.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

Find an Attorney

Arkansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Arkansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral 1-800-609-5668

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lincoln County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of Arkansas 1-800-950-5817
Center for Arkansas Legal Services 1-800-950-5817

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 Lincoln County, Arkansas?

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 56.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,195th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lincoln County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lincoln County (56.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Desha County, AR (79.8); Jefferson County, AR (77.0); Drew County, AR (72.6).

  • 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 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). Lincoln County's score of 56.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lincoln 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 Lincoln County?

    Lincoln County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 12,898 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.