Lamar County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.5 | 66,217 people · 77th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Lamar County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.5 — 1120th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Mississippi, it ranks 77th of 82 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. Lamar County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 69.5 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 69.5
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 76
Uninsured Rate 81
Subprime Credit Population 80
Legal Distress 58.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Economic Vitality 53.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 15
House Price Change (YoY) 74
Housing Cost Burden 52.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 65
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 37
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 77
Structural Poverty 26.5
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 35
Disability Rate 43
Transfer Income Dependency 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lamar County
Lamar County, MS 57.5 Elevated —
Jefferson Davis County, MS 75.3 Serious +17.8
Forrest County, MS 74.6 Serious +17.1
Pearl River County, MS 65.6 Serious +8.1
Marion County, MS 62.5 Elevated +5.0
Covington County, MS 60.7 Elevated +3.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lamar County
Franklin County, KY 57.5 Elevated -0.1
Caldwell County, NC 57.6 Elevated +0.1
Marshall County, AL 57.6 Elevated +0.1
Sutter County, CA 57.6 Elevated +0.1
Cochise County, AZ 57.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lamar County

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 Lamar 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Mississippi →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Lamar County, Mississippi?

    Lamar County has a County Distress Index score of 57.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,120th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 77th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lamar County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lamar County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 69.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lamar County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lamar County (57.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jefferson Davis County, MS (75.3); Forrest County, MS (74.6); Pearl River County, MS (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). Lamar County's score of 57.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lamar 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 Lamar County?

    Lamar County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 66,217 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.