Lincoln County, Maine

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.1 | 36,507 people · 13th most distressed in Maine
American Default Research

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

Lincoln County, ME falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.1 — 2529th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Maine, it ranks 13th of 16 counties. Among its 4 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 Employment & Wages at 53.9 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 53.9
Unemployment Rate 27
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 51
Community Vulnerability 48.5
Uninsured Rate 45
Disability Rate 52
Housing Cost Burden 38.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 21
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 16
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Income & Poverty 23.1
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 29
Debt & Delinquency 22.3
Debt in Collections 30
Medical Debt 65
Student Loan Delinquency 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 7
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 1

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 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, ME 37.1 Normal —
Waldo County, ME 52.3 Elevated +15.2
Kennebec County, ME 48.4 Normal +11.3
Knox County, ME 37.7 Normal +0.6
Sagadahoc County, ME 36.2 Normal -0.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lincoln County
Redwood County, MN 37.2 Normal +0.0
Uinta County, WY 37.0 Normal -0.1
Polk County, WI 37.3 Normal +0.1
Orange County, VA 37.3 Normal +0.1
Ford County, IL 37.0 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

Find an Attorney

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

Maine State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 207-622-7523

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lincoln County residents at no cost.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance 207-774-8211

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 Maine →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 37.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,529th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Maine out of 16 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 53.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Lincoln County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lincoln County (37.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Waldo County, ME (52.3); Kennebec County, ME (48.4); Knox County, ME (37.7).

  • 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, Maine has a population of approximately 36,507 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.