Lafayette County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.1 | 58,467 people · 72nd most distressed in Mississippi
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Lafayette County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.1 — 944th 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 Mississippi, it ranks 72nd of 82 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 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 Housing Cost Burden at 88.0 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 88.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 88
Legal Distress 68.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Consumer Credit Distress 59.1
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 64
Economic Vitality 51.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 15
House Price Change (YoY) 11
Structural Poverty 18.9
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 34
Disability Rate 8
Transfer Income Dependency 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lafayette County
Lafayette County, MS 60.1 Elevated —
Marshall County, MS 79.7 Serious +19.6
Panola County, MS 79.0 Serious +18.9
Tate County, MS 73.4 Serious +13.3
Yalobusha County, MS 69.2 Serious +9.1
Calhoun County, MS 67.1 Serious +7.0
Pontotoc County, MS 62.7 Elevated +2.6
Union County, MS 60.1 Elevated -0.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lafayette County
Kanawha County, WV 60.1 Elevated -0.0
St. Charles Parish, LA 60.2 Elevated +0.1
Elkhart County, IN 60.0 Elevated -0.1
Garfield County, OK 60.0 Elevated -0.1
Jackson County, IL 59.9 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lafayette County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Lafayette County.

NORTH MISSISSIPPI RURAL LEGAL SERVICES
Oxford
662-234-8731 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchaseHomebuyer EducationRental Help

See all counselors in Mississippi →

Find an Attorney

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

Mississippi Bar Lawyer Referral 601-948-4471

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lafayette County residents at no cost.

Mississippi Center for Legal Services 1-800-498-1804
North Mississippi Rural Legal Services 1-800-898-8731

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 Lafayette County, Mississippi?

    Lafayette County has a County Distress Index score of 60.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 944th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 72nd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lafayette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lafayette County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 88.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lafayette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lafayette County (60.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Marshall County, MS (79.7); Panola County, MS (79.0); Tate County, MS (73.4).

  • 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). Lafayette County's score of 60.1 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, Mississippi has a population of approximately 58,467 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.