Lincoln County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.5 | 19,701 people · 9th most distressed in West Virginia
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Lincoln County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.5 — 743rd 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 West Virginia, it ranks 9th of 55 counties. Among its 7 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 Structural Poverty at 84.8 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 84.8
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 76
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Consumer Credit Distress 79.8
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 19
Subprime Credit Population 73
Economic Vitality 62.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 58
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Legal Distress 52.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 53
Housing Cost Burden 19.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 19
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, WV 63.5 Elevated —
Boone County, WV 70.5 Serious +7.0
Cabell County, WV 68.2 Serious +4.7
Mingo County, WV 67.1 Serious +3.6
Logan County, WV 64.3 Elevated +0.8
Wayne County, WV 61.0 Elevated -2.5
Kanawha County, WV 60.1 Elevated -3.4
Putnam County, WV 46.0 Normal -17.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Lee County, GA 63.5 Elevated +0.0
Hopkins County, TX 63.5 Elevated +0.0
Allen County, KY 63.5 Elevated +0.0
Jasper County, TX 63.5 Elevated +0.1
Chowan County, NC 63.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

Find an Attorney

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

West Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 304-558-2456

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lincoln County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of West Virginia 1-866-255-4370
Mountain State Justice, Inc. 304-344-3144

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, West Virginia?

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 63.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 743rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 84.8 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 (63.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Boone County, WV (70.5); Cabell County, WV (68.2); Mingo County, WV (67.1).

  • 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 63.5 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, West Virginia has a population of approximately 19,701 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.