Georgia County Distress Index
Financial distress scores for all 159 counties in Georgia, scored 0–100 across five domains. A county's score is the share of U.S. counties it is more distressed than; the average Georgia county scores 75.2. 106 counties score high, very high, or extreme.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Urban Institute, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts | Scores as of Aug 2026
Georgia Snapshot
159 Counties Scored
75.2 Mean Score
82.0 Median Score
99 Dougherty County Most Distressed
1 Oconee County Least Distressed
45 extreme county distress43 very high county distress18 high county distress18 moderate-high county distress10 moderate county distress13 moderate-low county distress7 low-moderate county distress2 low county distress1 very low county distress2 exceptionally low county distress
Score Label Distribution Georgia County Map
Dougherty County is the most distressed of Georgia's 159 counties
County Distress Index score for Georgia's 159 counties, from green (least distressed, 0–29) to red (most distressed, 80–100). Data from 2024 to Aug 2026.
Loading the county map…
The county map could not be loaded. Every county is in the lists on this page.
Least distressed 0–2930–4950–6970–7980–100 Most distressed
County Distress Index score · data from 2024 to Aug 2026
Point to or tap a county for its rank and score. Click it, or tap it twice, to open its page.
Most & Least Distressed
Most Distressed
Least Distressed
Score Distribution
How Georgia's 159 county scores are distributed across the 0–100 scale.
All Georgia Counties
159 counties ranked by distress score. Click column headers to sort.
| State Rank | Nat'l Rank | County | Score | Score Label | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Dougherty County | 99 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 2 | 7 | Hancock County | 99 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 3 | 20 | Talbot County | 99 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 4 | 22 | Bibb County | 99 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 5 | 32 | Terrell County | 99 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 6 | 36 | Richmond County | 98 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 7 | 45 | Early County | 98 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 8 | 49 | Clayton County | 98 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 9 | 59 | Brooks County | 98 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 10 | 61 | Mitchell County | 98 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 11 | 66 | Twiggs County | 97 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 12 | 72 | Burke County | 97 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 13 | 81 | Sumter County | 97 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 14 | 89 | Randolph County | 97 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 15 | 95 | Worth County | 97 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 16 | — | Wilkinson County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 17 | — | Ben Hill County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 18 | — | Crisp County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 19 | — | Quitman County | 96 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 20 | — | McDuffie County | 96 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 21 | — | Ware County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 22 | — | Muscogee County | 95 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 23 | — | Baldwin County | 95 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 24 | — | Spalding County | 95 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 25 | — | Macon County | 95 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 26 | — | Washington County | 95 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 27 | — | Decatur County | 94 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 28 | — | Taliaferro County | 94 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 29 | — | Taylor County | 94 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 30 | — | Turner County | 94 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 31 | — | Screven County | 94 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 32 | — | Seminole County | 94 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 33 | — | Jefferson County | 93 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 34 | — | Baker County | 93 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 35 | — | Miller County | 93 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 36 | — | Clay County | 92 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 37 | — | Upson County | 92 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 38 | — | Stewart County | 91 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 39 | — | Liberty County | 91 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 40 | — | Charlton County | 91 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 41 | — | Warren County | 91 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 42 | — | Lowndes County | 90 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 43 | — | Newton County | 90 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 44 | — | Evans County | 90 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 45 | — | Telfair County | 90 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 46 | — | Clinch County | 89 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 47 | — | Chattooga County | 89 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 48 | — | Rockdale County | 89 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 49 | — | Cook County | 89 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 50 | — | Marion County | 89 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 51 | — | McIntosh County | 89 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 52 | — | Laurens County | 89 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 53 | — | Wilkes County | 89 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 54 | — | Coffee County | 88 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 55 | — | Lanier County | 88 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 56 | — | Wayne County | 88 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 57 | — | Emanuel County | 88 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 58 | — | Calhoun County | 87 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 59 | — | Grady County | 87 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 60 | — | Atkinson County | 87 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 61 | — | Stephens County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 62 | — | Meriwether County | 87 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 63 | — | Dodge County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 64 | — | Toombs County | 86 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 65 | — | Troup County | 86 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 66 | — | Colquitt County | 86 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 67 | — | Jenkins County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 68 | — | Webster County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 69 | — | Treutlen County | 85 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 70 | — | Dooly County | 85 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 71 | — | Carroll County | 85 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 72 | — | Polk County | 85 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 73 | — | Thomas County | 84 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 74 | — | Candler County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 75 | — | Peach County | 84 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 76 | — | Heard County | 84 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 77 | — | Pulaski County | 83 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 78 | — | Jeff Davis County | 83 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 79 | — | Elbert County | 82 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 80 | — | Douglas County | 81 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 81 | — | DeKalb County | 81 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 82 | — | Johnson County | 80 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 83 | — | Bulloch County | 80 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 84 | — | Floyd County | 80 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 85 | — | Bacon County | 80 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 86 | — | Tattnall County | 80 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 87 | — | Bleckley County | 80 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 88 | — | Wilcox County | 80 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 89 | — | Chatham County | 79 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 90 | — | Tift County | 79 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 91 | — | Berrien County | 79 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 92 | — | Crawford County | 79 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 93 | — | Henry County | 78 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 94 | — | Clarke County | 77 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 95 | — | Appling County | 76 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 96 | — | Brantley County | 76 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 97 | — | Murray County | 76 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 98 | — | Walker County | 75 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 99 | — | Wheeler County | 75 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 100 | — | Jasper County | 74 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 101 | — | Irwin County | 74 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 102 | — | Franklin County | 73 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 103 | — | Montgomery County | 72 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 104 | — | Glynn County | 71 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 105 | — | Long County | 70 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 106 | — | Pierce County | 70 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 107 | — | Whitfield County | 69 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 108 | — | Walton County | 68 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 109 | — | Schley County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 110 | — | Chattahoochee County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 111 | — | Putnam County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 112 | — | Gordon County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 113 | — | Madison County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 114 | — | Butts County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 115 | — | Lamar County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 116 | — | Echols County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 117 | — | Bartow County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 118 | — | Camden County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 119 | — | Haralson County | 63 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 120 | — | Lincoln County | 61 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 121 | — | Gwinnett County | 61 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 122 | — | Glascock County | 61 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 123 | — | Fulton County | 61 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 124 | — | Houston County | 61 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 125 | — | Hart County | 57 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 126 | — | Barrow County | 57 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 127 | — | Oglethorpe County | 57 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 128 | — | Jones County | 56 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 129 | — | Paulding County | 54 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 130 | — | Catoosa County | 53 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 131 | — | Morgan County | 51 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 132 | — | Hall County | 51 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 133 | — | Towns County | 50 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 134 | — | Fannin County | 50 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 135 | — | Pickens County | 49 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 136 | — | Dade County | 49 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 137 | — | Monroe County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 138 | — | White County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 139 | — | Effingham County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 140 | — | Lee County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 141 | — | Habersham County | 44 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 142 | — | Cobb County | 44 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 143 | — | Lumpkin County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 144 | — | Pike County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 145 | — | Greene County | 42 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 146 | — | Coweta County | 41 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 147 | — | Banks County | 41 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 148 | — | Gilmer County | 39 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 149 | — | Rabun County | 37 | low-moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 150 | — | Fayette County | 34 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 151 | — | Union County | 33 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 152 | — | Jackson County | 33 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 153 | — | Harris County | 31 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 154 | — | Columbia County | 30 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 155 | — | Bryan County | 29 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 156 | — | Dawson County | 28 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 157 | — | Cherokee County | 19 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 158 | — | Forsyth County | 4 | exceptionally low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 159 | 3,109 | Oconee County | 1 | exceptionally low county distress | Default & Legal |
How County Scores Work
Each county is scored 0–100 using five equal-weighted domains. Each domain averages its member indicators' county ranks, the domains are averaged, and that average is ranked against every U.S. county. So a county's score is the share of U.S. counties it is more distressed than. National ranks are shown only for the 100 most and 100 least distressed counties, because ranks in between move between updates. Counties with identical composite scores share a rank, marked T- for tied.
extreme county distress — 45 Georgia counties
very high county distress — 43 Georgia counties
high county distress — 18 Georgia counties
moderate-high county distress — 18 Georgia counties
moderate county distress — 10 Georgia counties
moderate-low county distress — 13 Georgia counties
low-moderate county distress — 7 Georgia counties
low county distress — 2 Georgia counties
very low county distress — 1 Georgia county
exceptionally low county distress — 2 Georgia counties
Urban Institute data: Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it.