Lexington County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.0 | 309,528 people · 42nd most distressed in South Carolina
American Default Research

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Lexington County, SC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.0 — 1897th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within South Carolina, it ranks 42nd of 46 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lexington County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 62.1 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 62.1
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 55
Student Loan Delinquency 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 67
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39
Housing Cost Burden 50.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 45
Homeownership Rate 36
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Employment & Wages 50.0
Unemployment Rate 64
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 19
Community Vulnerability 43.7
Uninsured Rate 58
Disability Rate 29
Income & Poverty 24.0
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Lexington County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lexington County
Lexington County, SC 46.0 Normal —
Orangeburg County, SC 65.4 Serious +19.4
Saluda County, SC 62.6 Elevated +16.5
Richland County, SC 61.5 Elevated +15.5
Newberry County, SC 60.6 Elevated +14.5
Calhoun County, SC 58.4 Elevated +12.3
Aiken County, SC 52.2 Elevated +6.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lexington County
York County, SC 46.0 Normal -0.0
Montgomery County, TX 46.1 Normal +0.1
Thurston County, WA 45.8 Normal -0.2
Sussex County, DE 46.3 Normal +0.3
Essex County, MA 46.4 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lexington County

Find an Attorney

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

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 803-799-7100

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lexington County residents at no cost.

SC Legal Services (Palmetto Legal Services / Greater Columbia Community Relations Council) 1-888-346-5592
Upstate Legal Services 864-679-3232
Pro Bono Legal Services — SC Bar 803-799-6653
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services 843-853-3304
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (888) 346-5592

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 Lexington County, South Carolina?

    Lexington County has a County Distress Index score of 46.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,897th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lexington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lexington County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 62.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lexington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lexington County (46.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Orangeburg County, SC (65.4); Saluda County, SC (62.6); Richland County, SC (61.5).

  • 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 Lexington County?

    Lexington County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 309,528 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.