Lincoln County, Oregon

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.5 | 50,821 people · 6th most distressed in Oregon
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Lincoln County, OR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.5 — 1171st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Oregon, it ranks 6th of 36 counties. It scores higher than all 4 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 Housing Cost Burden at 86.8 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 86.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 65
Economic Vitality 80.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 89
Structural Poverty 76.0
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 64
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 72
Legal Distress 66.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Consumer Credit Distress 30.6
Debt in Collections 33
Medical Debt 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, OR 56.5 Elevated —
Lane County, OR 54.4 Elevated -2.2
Polk County, OR 48.7 Normal -7.9
Tillamook County, OR 42.5 Normal -14.1
Benton County, OR 39.4 Normal -17.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Lauderdale County, AL 56.6 Elevated +0.0
Madison County, KY 56.6 Elevated +0.0
Maury County, TN 56.6 Elevated +0.1
Canadian County, OK 56.7 Elevated +0.1
Sullivan County, NY 56.3 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

Find an Attorney

Oregon State Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Oregon State Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 503-684-3763 (Portland); 1-800-452-7636 (statewide)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lincoln County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Services of Oregon 503-684-1032 (Portland); 1-800-684-1032 (statewide hotline)
Oregon Law Center 541-672-3429 (Roseburg); 541-485-1017 (Eugene)
Willamette Law Online — Oregon Foreclosure Avoidance Project 503-370-6051

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

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Oregon →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 56.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,171st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in Oregon out of 36 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 86.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lincoln County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lincoln County (56.5) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Lane County, OR (54.4); Polk County, OR (48.7); Tillamook County, OR (42.5).

  • 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 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 56.5 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, Oregon has a population of approximately 50,821 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.