Lincoln County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.6 | 34,562 people · 36th most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

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Lincoln County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.6 — 844th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Oklahoma, it ranks 36th of 77 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 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 78.0 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 78.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Consumer Credit Distress 76.3
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 73
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 81
Subprime Credit Population 75
Structural Poverty 71.0
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 49
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 67
Economic Vitality 34.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 32
House Price Change (YoY) 90
Housing Cost Burden 30.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 34
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 30
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, OK 61.6 Elevated —
Okfuskee County, OK 71.8 Serious +10.2
Pottawatomie County, OK 70.3 Serious +8.7
Oklahoma County, OK 68.9 Serious +7.3
Payne County, OK 64.6 Elevated +3.0
Creek County, OK 60.9 Elevated -0.7
Logan County, OK 54.0 Elevated -7.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Jackson Parish, LA 61.6 Elevated +0.0
Buchanan County, VA 61.5 Elevated -0.1
Polk County, TN 61.5 Elevated -0.1
Madison County, GA 61.8 Elevated +0.2
Randolph County, MO 61.8 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

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Oklahoma Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Oklahoma Bar Association Lawyer Referral 405-416-7000

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lincoln County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma 1-888-534-5243

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Lincoln County, Oklahoma?

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 61.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 844th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 78.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lincoln County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lincoln County (61.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Okfuskee County, OK (71.8); Pottawatomie County, OK (70.3); Oklahoma County, OK (68.9).

  • 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 61.6 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, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 34,562 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.