Lincoln County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.9 | 95,675 people · 93rd most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Lincoln County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.9 — 2540th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where health coverage gaps and disability rates are moderately elevated. Within North Carolina, it ranks 93rd of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 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 51.4 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 51.4
Uninsured Rate 60
Disability Rate 43
Debt & Delinquency 45.4
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 69
Student Loan Delinquency 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 49
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22
Housing Cost Burden 40.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 6
Employment & Wages 26.6
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Business Formation Rate 29
Income & Poverty 20.7
Poverty Rate 26
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 26

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 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, NC 36.9 Normal —
Burke County, NC 62.7 Elevated +25.8
Cleveland County, NC 60.5 Elevated +23.6
Gaston County, NC 60.4 Elevated +23.4
Catawba County, NC 45.0 Normal +8.1
Mecklenburg County, NC 44.0 Normal +7.1
Iredell County, NC 35.8 Normal -1.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lincoln County
Saline County, AR 36.8 Normal -0.1
Bartholomew County, IN 37.0 Normal +0.1
Otter Tail County, MN 36.7 Normal -0.2
Porter County, IN 36.6 Normal -0.3
La Crosse County, WI 36.6 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

Find an Attorney

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

North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-662-7407

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lincoln County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of North Carolina 1-866-219-5262
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy 704-376-1600
NC Equal Access to Justice Commission
Duke Law School Community Enterprise Clinic

Self-Help Resources

NC Courts Self-Help Resources — Foreclosure Official NC court system resources for foreclosure proceedings and borrower rights
NCHFA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs, counselor referrals, and HAF information

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 North Carolina →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Lincoln County, North Carolina?

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 36.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,540th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 93rd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 51.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Lincoln County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lincoln County (36.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Burke County, NC (62.7); Cleveland County, NC (60.5); Gaston County, NC (60.4).

  • 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, North Carolina has a population of approximately 95,675 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.