Lincoln County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.9 | 34,702 people · 57th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Lincoln County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.9 — 646th 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 57th of 82 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lincoln County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.3 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 82.4
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 62
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 89
Structural Poverty 55.7
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 44
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Housing Cost Burden 38.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 53
Economic Vitality 27.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 21
Rent-to-Income Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 42

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, MS 64.9 Elevated —
Pike County, MS 77.3 Serious +12.3
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious +9.7
Copiah County, MS 74.2 Serious +9.2
Jefferson County, MS 69.0 Serious +4.1
Amite County, MS 65.7 Serious +0.8
Walthall County, MS 64.4 Elevated -0.5
Franklin County, MS 63.2 Elevated -1.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Vernon Parish, LA 64.9 Elevated 0.0
Val Verde County, TX 64.9 Elevated -0.0
Monroe County, TN 64.9 Elevated -0.0
Haralson County, GA 65.0 Elevated +0.0
Bourbon County, KY 64.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln County, Mississippi?

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 64.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 646th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 57th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lincoln County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lincoln County (64.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Pike County, MS (77.3); Lawrence County, MS (74.6); Copiah County, MS (74.2).

  • 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). Lincoln County's score of 64.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lincoln 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 Lincoln County?

    Lincoln County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 34,702 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.