Lafayette County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.6 | 8,078 people · 45th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Lafayette County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.6 — 797th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Florida, it ranks 45th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lafayette County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 84.3 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 84.3
Unemployment Rate 90
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Economic Vitality 78.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Consumer Credit Distress 74.4
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 71
Subprime Credit Population 69
Housing Cost Burden 30.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 62
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 13
Legal Distress 21.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lafayette County
Lafayette County, FL 62.6 Elevated —
Taylor County, FL 68.8 Serious +6.2
Madison County, FL 68.2 Serious +5.6
Dixie County, FL 65.6 Serious +3.1
Suwannee County, FL 65.6 Serious +3.0
Gilchrist County, FL 55.1 Elevated -7.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lafayette County
Greer County, OK 62.5 Elevated -0.0
Hudspeth County, TX 62.4 Elevated -0.1
Covington city, VA 62.4 Elevated -0.2
Johnson County, GA 62.4 Elevated -0.2
Montgomery County, GA 62.8 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lafayette County

Find an Attorney

The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-342-8011

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lafayette County residents at no cost.

Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS) 1-239-334-4554
Legal Services of Greater Miami (LSGMI) 1-305-576-0080
Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida 1-954-736-2400
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida (CLSMF) 1-800-405-1417
Bay Area Legal Services 1-800-625-2257
Legal Services of North Florida 1-850-385-9007
Three Rivers Legal Services 1-866-256-8091

Self-Help Resources

The Florida Bar — Foreclosure Crisis Help for Consumers Official Florida Bar resource page for homeowners facing foreclosure, including information on finding an attorney, legal aid referrals, and understanding the foreclosure process.
Florida Courts — Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Cases Florida Supreme Court page with information on residential mortgage foreclosure cases, including links to administrative orders, mediation resources, and the Managed Mediation program.
Florida AG — Resources Available to Distressed Homeowners Florida Attorney General's office page with resources for distressed homeowners, including information on mortgage fraud, foreclosure rescue scams, and how to file complaints.
Florida LawHelp Statewide legal aid directory connecting Floridians with free legal information and local legal aid providers for foreclosure prevention and other civil legal needs.

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 Florida →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Lafayette County, Florida?

    Lafayette County has a County Distress Index score of 62.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 797th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lafayette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lafayette County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 84.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Lafayette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lafayette County (62.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Taylor County, FL (68.8); Madison County, FL (68.2); Dixie County, FL (65.6).

  • 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). Lafayette County's score of 62.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lafayette 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 Lafayette County?

    Lafayette County, Florida has a population of approximately 8,078 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.