Lawrence County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.6 | 11,741 people · 24th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Lawrence County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.6 — 204th 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 24th of 82 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lawrence County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 86.3
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Uninsured Rate 81
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 73.7
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Housing Cost Burden 62.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 12
Economic Vitality 27.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 52

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lawrence County
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious —
Jefferson Davis County, MS 75.3 Serious +0.7
Copiah County, MS 74.2 Serious -0.4
Simpson County, MS 68.8 Serious -5.8
Lincoln County, MS 64.9 Elevated -9.7
Walthall County, MS 64.4 Elevated -10.2
Marion County, MS 62.5 Elevated -12.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lawrence County
Elbert County, GA 74.6 Serious -0.0
Lee County, SC 74.6 Serious +0.0
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious +0.0
Wayne County, GA 74.5 Serious -0.0
Jefferson County, GA 74.5 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lawrence County

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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 Lawrence County residents at no cost.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lawrence County has a County Distress Index score of 74.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 204th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lawrence County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lawrence County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lawrence County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lawrence County (74.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jefferson Davis County, MS (75.3); Copiah County, MS (74.2); Simpson County, MS (68.8).

  • 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). Lawrence County's score of 74.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Lawrence 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 Lawrence County?

    Lawrence County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 11,741 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.