Lee County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.9 | 82,799 people · 48th most distressed in Mississippi
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Lee County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.9 — 553rd 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 48th 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. Lee County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 97.4 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 97.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 97
Consumer Credit Distress 80.2
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 68
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 71
Subprime Credit Population 87
Housing Cost Burden 67.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 70
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 33
Homeownership Rate 70
Structural Poverty 31.5
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 38
Economic Vitality 25.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lee County, MS 66.9 Serious —
Chickasaw County, MS 72.8 Serious +5.9
Monroe County, MS 65.4 Serious -1.5
Pontotoc County, MS 62.7 Elevated -4.2
Prentiss County, MS 60.5 Elevated -6.4
Union County, MS 60.1 Elevated -6.8
Itawamba County, MS 50.5 Elevated -16.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Terrebonne Parish, LA 66.8 Serious -0.1
Sampson County, NC 66.8 Serious -0.1
Bossier Parish, LA 67.0 Serious +0.1
Jasper County, MO 66.8 Serious -0.1
Kings County, CA 66.8 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lee 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 Lee 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 Lee County, Mississippi?

    Lee County has a County Distress Index score of 66.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 553rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lee County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 97.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lee County (66.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Chickasaw County, MS (72.8); Monroe County, MS (65.4); Pontotoc County, MS (62.7).

  • 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). Lee County's score of 66.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • 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, Mississippi has a population of approximately 82,799 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.