Lincoln County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.1 | 7,879 people · 98th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Lincoln County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.1 — 746th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within Georgia, it ranks 98th of 159 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lincoln County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 79.5 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 79.5
Uninsured Rate 81
Disability Rate 78
Debt & Delinquency 78.9
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 71
Student Loan Delinquency 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Income & Poverty 57.0
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 74
Employment & Wages 48.4
Unemployment Rate 58
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 14
Housing Cost Burden 41.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 71
Homeownership Rate 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Lincoln County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, GA 61.1 Elevated —
McDuffie County, GA 70.3 Serious +9.2
Elbert County, GA 69.8 Serious +8.7
Wilkes County, GA 64.8 Elevated +3.7
McCormick County, SC 51.4 Elevated -9.8
Columbia County, GA 37.3 Normal -23.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lincoln County
Searcy County, AR 61.0 Elevated -0.1
Chautauqua County, KS 61.0 Elevated -0.1
Benton County, MS 61.0 Elevated -0.1
Todd County, SD 61.0 Elevated -0.2
Calhoun County, WV 60.9 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

Find an Attorney

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

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lincoln County residents at no cost.

Atlanta Legal Aid Society 404-524-5811
Georgia Legal Services Program 1-888-257-4567
Georgia Legal Aid
State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Self-Help Resources

Georgia Legal Aid — Housing Self-help guides for Georgia foreclosure process, rights, and defenses
DCA Georgia HAF Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

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 Georgia →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 61.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 746th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 98th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 79.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Lincoln County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lincoln County (61.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: McDuffie County, GA (70.3); Elbert County, GA (69.8); Wilkes County, GA (64.8).

  • 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 Lincoln County?

    Lincoln County, Georgia has a population of approximately 7,879 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.