Lawrence County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.2 | 28,053 people · 22nd most distressed in South Dakota
American Default Research

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

Lawrence County, SD falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.2 — 2467th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within South Dakota, it ranks 22nd of 66 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lawrence County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 66.8 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 66.8
Uninsured Rate 70
Disability Rate 63
Housing Cost Burden 51.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 38
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 21
Income & Poverty 29.6
Poverty Rate 30
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 16
Debt & Delinquency 22.4
Debt in Collections 6
Medical Debt 24
Student Loan Delinquency 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32
Employment & Wages 20.6
Unemployment Rate 4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lawrence County
Lawrence County, SD 38.2 Normal —
Pennington County, SD 44.1 Normal +5.9
Butte County, SD 43.4 Normal +5.2
Weston County, WY 36.5 Normal -1.6
Meade County, SD 32.1 Healthy -6.1
Crook County, WY 24.5 Healthy -13.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lawrence County
Crawford County, IL 38.2 Normal +0.0
Ottawa County, OH 38.2 Normal +0.0
Carbon County, MT 38.3 Normal +0.1
Clinton County, IN 38.3 Normal +0.1
Barron County, WI 38.3 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lawrence County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Lawrence County.

NEIGHBORWORKS DAKOTA HOME RESOURCES
Deadwood
605-578-1401 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in South Dakota →

Find an Attorney

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

State Bar of South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service 605-224-7554

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lawrence County residents at no cost.

East River Legal Services 1-800-952-3015
Dakota Plains Legal Services 1-800-658-2297

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 South Dakota →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Lawrence County, South Dakota?

    Lawrence County has a County Distress Index score of 38.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,467th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lawrence County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lawrence County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 66.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Lawrence County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lawrence County (38.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Pennington County, SD (44.1); Butte County, SD (43.4); Weston County, WY (36.5).

  • 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 Lawrence County?

    Lawrence County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 28,053 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.