Lincoln County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.4 | 28,405 people · 42nd most distressed in Wisconsin
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Lincoln County, WI falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.4 — 2633rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 42nd of 72 counties. Among its 5 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 47.1 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 47.1
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Business Formation Rate 78
Housing Cost Burden 45.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 59
Homeownership Rate 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Community Vulnerability 28.7
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 41
Income & Poverty 28.2
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 21
Debt & Delinquency 27.5
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 65
Student Loan Delinquency 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39

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 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lincoln County
Lincoln County, WI 35.4 Normal —
Price County, WI 44.7 Normal +9.2
Langlade County, WI 44.3 Normal +8.8
Taylor County, WI 40.5 Normal +5.1
Marathon County, WI 32.4 Healthy -3.1
Oneida County, WI 32.2 Healthy -3.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lincoln County
Henry County, IL 35.4 Normal +0.0
Nantucket County, MA 35.4 Normal -0.0
Converse County, WY 35.5 Normal +0.0
Wells County, IN 35.5 Normal +0.1
Harris County, GA 35.5 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lincoln County

Find an Attorney

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

State Bar of Wisconsin — Lawyer Referral and Information Service 608-257-4666 (Madison); 414-274-6768 (Milwaukee)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lincoln County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee 414-278-7722
Legal Action of Wisconsin 608-256-3191 (Madison); 414-278-7722 (Milwaukee)
Wisconsin Judicare 715-842-1681 (Wausau); 1-800-472-1638 (statewide)
Disability Rights Wisconsin 608-267-0214
Judicare Legal Aid (715) 842-1681

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 Lincoln County, Wisconsin?

    Lincoln County has a County Distress Index score of 35.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,633rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lincoln County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lincoln County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 47.1 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 (35.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Price County, WI (44.7); Langlade County, WI (44.3); Taylor County, WI (40.5).

  • 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, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 28,405 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.