Lee County, Florida

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.1 | 834,573 people · 40th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

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Lee County, FL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.1 — 699th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Florida, it ranks 40th of 67 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lee County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 88.7 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 88.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 97
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 52
Economic Vitality 79.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 97
Legal Distress 75.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Consumer Credit Distress 54.8
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 40
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 67
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 54
Structural Poverty 39.6
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 30
Transfer Income Dependency 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lee County, FL 64.1 Elevated —
Hendry County, FL 77.7 Serious +13.6
Glades County, FL 69.7 Serious +5.5
Charlotte County, FL 55.4 Elevated -8.7
Collier County, FL 49.8 Normal -14.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Davidson County, TN 63.9 Elevated -0.2
Galveston County, TX 64.4 Elevated +0.3
Stanislaus County, CA 64.5 Elevated +0.4
Guilford County, NC 63.6 Elevated -0.5
Berkeley County, SC 63.5 Elevated -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lee County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Lee County.

AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP FOUNDATION INC
Fort Myers
239-689-4944
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF LEE AND HENDRY COUNTIES, INC.
Fort Myers
239-652-4663 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
LEE COUNTY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Fort Myers
239-275-5105 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing

See all counselors in Florida →

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 Lee 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 Lee County, Florida?

    Lee County has a County Distress Index score of 64.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 699th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lee County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 88.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lee County (64.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Hendry County, FL (77.7); Glades County, FL (69.7); Charlotte County, FL (55.4).

  • 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 64.1 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, Florida has a population of approximately 834,573 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.