Lincoln County, Wyoming

County Distress Index: Healthy · 17.1 | 20,880 people · 23rd most distressed in Wyoming
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Lincoln County, WY ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 17.1 — 3116th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Wyoming, it ranks 23rd of 23 counties. It scores lower than all 8 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 22.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 22.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 18
Consumer Credit Distress 18.7
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 7
Uninsured Rate 82
Subprime Credit Population 6
Structural Poverty 14.7
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 5
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 9
Legal Distress 10.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11
Economic Vitality 4.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 1
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, WY 17.1 Healthy —
Sweetwater County, WY 47.5 Normal +30.4
Bonneville County, ID 41.6 Normal +24.6
Uinta County, WY 41.0 Normal +23.9
Caribou County, ID 37.1 Normal +20.1
Sublette County, WY 33.8 Healthy +16.8
Bear Lake County, ID 30.3 Healthy +13.3
Teton County, WY 25.3 Healthy +8.2
Rich County, UT 21.4 Healthy +4.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lincoln County
Grundy County, IA 16.6 Healthy -0.5
Mitchell County, IA 17.5 Healthy +0.5
Jefferson County, MT 16.5 Healthy -0.5
Holt County, NE 17.7 Healthy +0.7
Bremer County, IA 17.8 Healthy +0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

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

Wyoming State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 307-632-9061

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lincoln County residents at no cost.

Wyoming Legal Services 1-877-432-9955
Legal Aid of Wyoming, Inc. (307) 432-0807

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 17.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,116th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in Wyoming out of 23 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 22.3 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 (17.1) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Sweetwater County, WY (47.5); Bonneville County, ID (41.6); Uinta County, WY (41.0).

  • 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 Healthy 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 17.1 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • 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, Wyoming has a population of approximately 20,880 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.