Lauderdale County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.6 | 96,814 people · 51st most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Lauderdale County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.6 — 1543rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Alabama, it ranks 51st of 67 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lauderdale County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 70.0 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 70.0
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 68
Student Loan Delinquency 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Community Vulnerability 58.3
Uninsured Rate 63
Disability Rate 53
Employment & Wages 48.3
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 81
Housing Cost Burden 39.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 36
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 26
Income & Poverty 36.8
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 44

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Lauderdale County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lauderdale County
Lauderdale County, AL 50.6 Elevated —
Hardin County, TN 64.8 Elevated +14.2
Wayne County, TN 64.0 Elevated +13.4
Lawrence County, TN 61.1 Elevated +10.4
Tishomingo County, MS 55.7 Elevated +5.1
Giles County, TN 55.6 Elevated +4.9
Colbert County, AL 52.7 Elevated +2.0
Lawrence County, AL 49.2 Normal -1.5
Limestone County, AL 34.4 Healthy -16.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lauderdale County
Kerr County, TX 50.6 Elevated -0.0
Martin County, FL 50.6 Elevated -0.0
Herkimer County, NY 50.8 Elevated +0.1
Woodbury County, IA 50.8 Elevated +0.1
Haywood County, NC 50.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lauderdale County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Lauderdale County.

COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY OF NORTHWEST ALABAMA, INC.
Florence
256-766-4330 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in Alabama →

Find an Attorney

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

Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-392-5660

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lauderdale County residents at no cost.

Legal Services Alabama 1-866-456-4995
Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-392-5660

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 Lauderdale County, Alabama?

    Lauderdale County has a County Distress Index score of 50.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,543rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 51st in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lauderdale County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lauderdale County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 70.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lauderdale County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lauderdale County (50.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Hardin County, TN (64.8); Wayne County, TN (64.0); Lawrence County, TN (61.1).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Lauderdale County?

    Lauderdale County, Alabama has a population of approximately 96,814 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.