Lincoln County, New Mexico

County Distress Index: Normal · 50.0 | 20,029 people · 25th most distressed in New Mexico
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Lincoln County, NM falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 50.0 — 1581st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within New Mexico, it ranks 25th of 33 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lincoln County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 67.6 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 67.6
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 21
Child Poverty Rate 87
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Housing Cost Burden 57.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 50
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 21
Economic Vitality 54.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 70
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 92
Consumer Credit Distress 47.1
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 45
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 30
Legal Distress 7.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, NM 50.0 Normal —
Chaves County, NM 67.9 Serious +17.9
Socorro County, NM 63.7 Elevated +13.8
Torrance County, NM 57.5 Elevated +7.6
Otero County, NM 56.9 Elevated +6.9
Guadalupe County, NM 53.1 Elevated +3.1
De Baca County, NM 51.7 Elevated +1.8
Sierra County, NM 51.3 Elevated +1.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Graham County, AZ 50.0 Normal -0.0
Meade County, KY 50.0 Normal +0.0
Mariposa County, CA 49.9 Normal -0.0
Crawford County, MI 50.0 Elevated +0.1
Union County, OR 50.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of New Mexico Lawyer Referral Program offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of New Mexico Lawyer Referral Program 505-797-6000

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lincoln County residents at no cost.

New Mexico Legal Aid 1-866-416-1922
Law Access New Mexico 1-800-340-9771
DNA-Peoples Legal Services, Inc. (928) 871-4151

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Lincoln County, New Mexico?

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 50.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,581st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in New Mexico out of 33 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 67.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Lincoln County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lincoln County (50.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Chaves County, NM (67.9); Socorro County, NM (63.7); Torrance County, NM (57.5).

  • 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 Normal 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 50.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • 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, New Mexico has a population of approximately 20,029 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.