Lauderdale County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.5 | 70,527 people · 20th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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

Lauderdale County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.5 — 141st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Mississippi, it ranks 20th of 82 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lauderdale County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 86.9 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 86.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 87
Consumer Credit Distress 85.2
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 91
Housing Cost Burden 80.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 36
Homeownership Rate 88
Structural Poverty 63.4
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 64
Economic Vitality 33.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lauderdale County
Lauderdale County, MS 76.5 Serious —
Sumter County, AL 76.7 Serious +0.2
Neshoba County, MS 70.8 Serious -5.8
Clarke County, MS 70.1 Serious -6.4
Kemper County, MS 68.3 Serious -8.2
Jasper County, MS 66.5 Serious -10.0
Choctaw County, AL 66.2 Serious -10.3
Newton County, MS 64.0 Elevated -12.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lauderdale County
Rapides Parish, LA 76.5 Serious +0.0
Madison County, TN 76.4 Serious -0.1
Muskogee County, OK 76.3 Serious -0.2
Anderson County, TX 76.8 Serious +0.2
Montgomery County, AL 76.3 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lauderdale 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 Lauderdale 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 Lauderdale County, Mississippi?

    Lauderdale County has a County Distress Index score of 76.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 141st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lauderdale County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lauderdale County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 86.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lauderdale County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lauderdale County (76.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Sumter County, AL (76.7); Neshoba County, MS (70.8); Clarke County, MS (70.1).

  • 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 Serious 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). Lauderdale County's score of 76.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Lauderdale 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 Lauderdale County?

    Lauderdale County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 70,527 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.