Lee County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.6 | 15,967 people · 10th most distressed in South Carolina
American Default Research

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Lee County, SC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.6 — 202nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within South Carolina, it ranks 10th of 46 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 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 Consumer Credit Distress at 90.5 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 90.5
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 88.5
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Legal Distress 64.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 64
Housing Cost Burden 53.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 55
Economic Vitality 31.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lee County, SC 74.6 Serious —
Darlington County, SC 77.4 Serious +2.8
Sumter County, SC 74.1 Serious -0.5
Florence County, SC 72.6 Serious -2.1
Kershaw County, SC 64.7 Elevated -10.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious +0.0
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious -0.0
Elbert County, GA 74.6 Serious -0.0
Fairfield County, SC 74.7 Serious +0.0
Wayne County, GA 74.5 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lee County

Find an Attorney

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

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 803-799-7100

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lee County residents at no cost.

SC Legal Services (Palmetto Legal Services / Greater Columbia Community Relations Council) 1-888-346-5592
Upstate Legal Services 864-679-3232
Pro Bono Legal Services — SC Bar 803-799-6653
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services 843-853-3304
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (888) 346-5592

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 South Carolina →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Lee County, South Carolina?

    Lee County has a County Distress Index score of 74.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 202nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lee County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 90.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lee County (74.6) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Darlington County, SC (77.4); Sumter County, SC (74.1); Florence County, SC (72.6).

  • 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 74.6 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, South Carolina has a population of approximately 15,967 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.