Financial distress, county by county.

Richmond County, GA — the most distressed county in America by CDI. Consumer credit distress at the 99.8th percentile. Home to Fort Eisenhower and Augusta National.

Tunica County, MS scores 88.74 on the County Distress Index — 2nd of 3,144. Four casino closures since 2014 have left the county carrying the debt.

Bibb County (Macon-Bibb), GA scores 88.57 (Crisis) on the County Distress Index — 3rd of 3,144 U.S. counties. Renter cost burden and debt in collections at the 99th percentile despite a 2014 city-county merger.

Petersburg City scores 88.3 (Crisis) on the County Distress Index — 4th most distressed county in the U.S. Consumer credit distress, 45% debt in collections, 99th percentile student loan delinquency. The 37-point gap with neighboring Chesterfield reveals what Virginia's independent city structure concentrates.

Clayton County, GA scores 87.70 (Crisis) on the County Distress Index — 5th of 3,144 U.S. counties. Home to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and 56,000 airport workers. Three consumer credit indicators at or above the 98th percentile nationally while Structural Poverty ranks 1,555 of 3,144 — middle-class financial collapse in the aftermath of 2008, not chronic poverty.

Mitchell County, GA scores 87.54 (Crisis) on the County Distress Index — 6th of 3,144 U.S. counties, 4th in Georgia. Top peanut producer with $370M in farm output, 3.6% unemployment, and 42.4% of residents with debt in collections.

Pemiscot County scores Crisis on the County Distress Index. Seventh most distressed county in America, first in Missouri. 46% of residents have debt in collections.

Dougherty County, Georgia ranks 8th of 3,144 on the American Default County Distress Index, with Consumer Credit Distress at the 99th percentile on three indicators.

Russell County, AL scores 86.68 (Crisis) on the County Distress Index — 9th of 3,144 U.S. counties, 1st in Alabama. 484 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents — roughly four times the national median. 45% of residents with a credit file carry debt in collections. Phenix City sits across the Chattahoochee River from Columbus, Georgia, where most of the county's working population commutes.

Washington County, MS scores 86.3 (Crisis) on the County Distress Index — 10th of 3,144 U.S. counties. 20% auto loan delinquency at the 99th percentile nationally. 36% poverty rate. The county seat, Greenville, was home to Pulitzer-winning editor Hodding Carter II, Civil War historian Shelby Foote, and novelist Walker Percy. Today nearly half its children live in poverty.

Gadsden County scores Crisis on the County Distress Index — 23rd most distressed in America, 1st in Florida. Only majority-Black county in the state. 41% of residents carry debt in collections.

Dunklin County, MO scores 79.42 (Serious), 76th of 3,144 U.S. counties. A legacy cotton and soybean economy in the Missouri Bootheel.

Wayne County, MO scores 75.34 (Serious), 173rd of 3,144 U.S. counties. Highest Structural Poverty score in Missouri. 29.1% disability rate, 22.4% poverty, every CDI domain Elevated or worse.

Lenoir County scores Serious on the County Distress Index — 18th most distressed in North Carolina. A Navy aviation facility and 3.5% unemployment exist five miles from the state’s most distressed census tract.

Harlan County scores Serious on the County Distress Index — 12th most distressed in Kentucky, 356th of 3,144 nationally. The most documented poor county in America. 27.3% disability rate. Structural Poverty ranks 3rd of 3,144 counties nationally. See the full five-domain breakdown.

Glades County, Florida scores Serious on the County Distress Index — more distressed than 87% of U.S. counties. The largest employer is a detention center. There is no hospital. See the full five-domain breakdown.

Duval County scores Serious on the County Distress Index — 452nd of 3,144 U.S. counties. The county that changed American history with 87 votes. 45.8% of income from transfers. Consumer credit distress at the 99th percentile. See the full five-domain breakdown.

Des Moines County, Iowa scores 62.10 Elevated on the County Distress Index — 2nd in Iowa, 822nd nationally. Burlington made backhoes for 87 years. The factory is closing. See the full breakdown.

Yakima County scores 58.8 on the County Distress Index. Most distressed in Washington. Employment leads the distress while the safety net holds debt at zero.

Mendocino County scores Elevated on the County Distress Index — 24th of California’s 58 counties, but its Economic Vitality domain ranks 9 of 3,144 nationally. Cannabis, wine, and timber are all in decline.

Quay County, New Mexico scores Elevated on the County Distress Index — more distressed than 56% of U.S. counties. A town named for waiting, still waiting. See the full five-domain breakdown.

DC scores Elevated on the County Distress Index and leads the nation in FHA serious delinquency at 8.34%. Housing Cost Burden at 78.8 sits 25 points above the composite. See the full five-domain breakdown.

Lincoln County, Montana scores 42.81 Normal on the County Distress Index, 15th in Montana, masking Structural Poverty at 82.72. A vermiculite mine left a multi-decade asbestos health legacy; the clinic that tracked cases has closed.

Wallowa County scores Healthy on the County Distress Index. 95th percentile unemployment, 7th percentile debt. Home of the WWII Memorial’s bronze.

King County, Washington scores Healthy on the County Distress Index — less distressed than 85% of U.S. counties. But Housing Cost Burden ranks in the 87th percentile. See the full five-domain breakdown.

Los Alamos County scores Healthy on the County Distress Index — the least distressed of 3,144 U.S. counties. A $5.28 billion federal laboratory in a state ranked last for child wellbeing.