Lincoln County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 15.2 | 73,238 people · 66th most distressed in South Dakota
American Default Research

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Lincoln County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 15.2 — 3141st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within South Dakota, it ranks 66th of 66 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lincoln County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 45.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 45.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 1
Debt & Delinquency 14.6
Debt in Collections 4
Medical Debt 17
Student Loan Delinquency 6
Auto Loan Delinquency 12
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Employment & Wages 11.2
Unemployment Rate 1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 15
Business Formation Rate 17
Community Vulnerability 3.6
Uninsured Rate 5
Disability Rate 2
Income & Poverty 1.3
Poverty Rate 0
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 0

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, SD 15.2 Healthy —
Clay County, SD 41.2 Normal +26.0
Minnehaha County, SD 29.7 Healthy +14.5
Turner County, SD 24.5 Healthy +9.3
Sioux County, IA 21.0 Healthy +5.8
Union County, SD 19.6 Healthy +4.4
Lyon County, IA 16.9 Healthy +1.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lincoln County
Oldham County, KY 15.1 Healthy -0.1
Delaware County, OH 18.8 Healthy +3.6
Dallas County, IA 19.1 Healthy +3.9
Warrick County, IN 20.9 Healthy +5.6
Boone County, IN 21.0 Healthy +5.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

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 Lincoln County residents at no cost.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 15.2 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,141st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 66th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 45.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lincoln County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lincoln County (15.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clay County, SD (41.2); Minnehaha County, SD (29.7); Turner County, SD (24.5).

  • 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 Lincoln County?

    Lincoln County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 73,238 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.