Georgia County Distress Index
Financial distress scores for all 159 counties in Georgia, scored 0–100 across five domains. Mean score: 64.6. 60 counties score high, very high, or extreme.
Data: Census, BLS, Urban Institute, HUD, US Courts | Scores as of 2026-03-26
Georgia Snapshot
159 Counties Scored
64.6 Mean Score
67.7 Median Score
91.8 Dougherty County Most Distressed
11.1 Oconee County Least Distressed
1 extreme county distress18 very high county distress41 high county distress52 moderate-high county distress21 moderate county distress18 moderate-low county distress6 low-moderate county distress2 very low county distress
Score Label Distribution Georgia County Map
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Low county distress Moderate-low county distress Moderate county distress High county distress Extreme county distress
All 159 Georgia counties colored by county distress score range. Hover for details; click released counties for full reports.
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 | 7 | Dougherty County | 91.8 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 2 | 18 | Hancock County | 89.7 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 3 | 26 | Bibb County | 87.4 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 4 | 28 | Richmond County | 87.2 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 5 | 48 | Clayton County | 85.1 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 6 | 52 | Terrell County | 84.9 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 7 | 55 | Mitchell County | 84.5 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 8 | 58 | Early County | 84.5 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 9 | 78 | Crisp County | 83.5 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 10 | 82 | Burke County | 83.3 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 11 | 90 | Telfair County | 82.7 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 12 | 108 | Sumter County | 81.8 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 13 | 119 | Talbot County | 81.3 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 14 | 120 | Wilkinson County | 81.3 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 15 | 121 | Macon County | 81.3 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 16 | 125 | Clay County | 80.9 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 17 | 127 | Quitman County | 80.9 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 18 | 134 | Ware County | 80.6 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 19 | 136 | Muscogee County | 80.5 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 20 | 156 | Ben Hill County | 79.5 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 21 | 158 | Spalding County | 79.5 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 22 | 159 | Brooks County | 79.4 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 23 | 173 | Taylor County | 78.9 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 24 | 180 | Randolph County | 78.7 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 25 | 186 | Twiggs County | 78.3 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 26 | 220 | Jefferson County | 77.3 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 27 | 224 | Meriwether County | 77.1 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 28 | 228 | Baldwin County | 77.1 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 29 | 229 | McDuffie County | 77.0 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 30 | 250 | Newton County | 76.3 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 31 | 251 | Rockdale County | 76.3 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 32 | 256 | Stewart County | 76.1 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 33 | 260 | Worth County | 76.0 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 34 | 262 | Webster County | 75.9 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 35 | 286 | Turner County | 75.3 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 36 | 333 | Charlton County | 74.2 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 37 | 336 | Pulaski County | 74.1 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 38 | 343 | Seminole County | 74.0 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 39 | 348 | Decatur County | 73.8 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 40 | 351 | Baker County | 73.8 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 41 | 355 | Cook County | 73.7 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 42 | 369 | Liberty County | 73.2 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 43 | 370 | Upson County | 73.2 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 44 | 377 | Treutlen County | 73.1 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 45 | 378 | Washington County | 73.1 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 46 | 385 | Lowndes County | 72.9 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 47 | 396 | Stephens County | 72.5 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 48 | 401 | McIntosh County | 72.3 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 49 | 407 | Warren County | 72.2 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 50 | 414 | Lanier County | 71.9 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 51 | 428 | Grady County | 71.6 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 52 | 431 | Atkinson County | 71.4 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 53 | 447 | Screven County | 71.1 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 54 | 467 | Henry County | 70.6 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 55 | 468 | Laurens County | 70.6 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 56 | 472 | Clinch County | 70.5 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 57 | 476 | Marion County | 70.3 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 58 | 479 | Troup County | 70.2 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 59 | 486 | Thomas County | 70.1 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 60 | 488 | Coffee County | 70.0 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 61 | 511 | Taliaferro County | 69.7 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 62 | 517 | Chattooga County | 69.5 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 63 | 521 | Miller County | 69.5 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 64 | 528 | Jenkins County | 69.3 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 65 | 537 | Toombs County | 69.2 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 66 | 538 | Carroll County | 69.2 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 67 | 541 | Dodge County | 69.1 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 68 | 542 | Crawford County | 69.1 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 69 | 543 | DeKalb County | 69.1 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 70 | 555 | Peach County | 68.9 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 71 | 560 | Emanuel County | 68.8 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 72 | 569 | Polk County | 68.7 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 73 | 589 | Evans County | 68.4 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 74 | 591 | Elbert County | 68.4 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 75 | 597 | Wayne County | 68.3 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 76 | 604 | Wilkes County | 68.2 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 77 | 607 | Jeff Davis County | 68.1 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 78 | 608 | Douglas County | 68.1 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 79 | 612 | Irwin County | 68.0 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 80 | 626 | Dooly County | 67.7 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 81 | 637 | Candler County | 67.5 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 82 | 638 | Heard County | 67.5 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 83 | 649 | Butts County | 67.3 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 84 | 670 | Colquitt County | 67.0 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 85 | 686 | Chatham County | 66.6 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 86 | 690 | Floyd County | 66.5 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 87 | 701 | Calhoun County | 66.2 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 88 | 717 | Bulloch County | 65.9 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 89 | 729 | Walker County | 65.5 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 90 | 740 | Bacon County | 65.3 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 91 | 759 | Clarke County | 64.9 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 92 | 805 | Brantley County | 64.2 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 93 | 809 | Bleckley County | 64.1 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 94 | 819 | Chattahoochee County | 64.0 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 95 | 878 | Putnam County | 62.9 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 96 | 898 | Montgomery County | 62.5 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 97 | 903 | Tattnall County | 62.5 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 98 | 914 | Tift County | 62.3 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 99 | 919 | Franklin County | 62.2 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 100 | 922 | Wilcox County | 62.2 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 101 | 929 | Berrien County | 62.0 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 102 | 930 | Fulton County | 62.0 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 103 | 946 | Jasper County | 61.7 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 104 | 953 | Appling County | 61.6 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 105 | 958 | Lamar County | 61.5 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 106 | 994 | Haralson County | 60.9 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 107 | 1,009 | Lincoln County | 60.6 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 108 | 1,012 | Echols County | 60.6 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 109 | 1,016 | Johnson County | 60.5 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 110 | 1,026 | Wheeler County | 60.5 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 111 | 1,030 | Long County | 60.4 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 112 | 1,040 | Pierce County | 60.2 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 113 | 1,061 | Walton County | 59.7 | moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 114 | 1,122 | Murray County | 58.6 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 115 | 1,123 | Gwinnett County | 58.6 | moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 116 | 1,132 | Whitfield County | 58.4 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 117 | 1,137 | Barrow County | 58.3 | moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 118 | 1,157 | Jones County | 58.0 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 119 | 1,178 | Bartow County | 57.5 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 120 | 1,231 | Glynn County | 56.4 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 121 | 1,275 | Houston County | 55.8 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 122 | 1,284 | Madison County | 55.6 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 123 | 1,291 | Schley County | 55.5 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 124 | 1,323 | Hart County | 54.9 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 125 | 1,367 | Paulding County | 54.0 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 126 | 1,408 | Camden County | 53.4 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 127 | 1,466 | Oglethorpe County | 52.4 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 128 | 1,518 | Glascock County | 51.4 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 129 | 1,546 | Gordon County | 50.9 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 130 | 1,552 | Lee County | 50.7 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 131 | 1,557 | Pickens County | 50.6 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 132 | 1,579 | Catoosa County | 50.3 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 133 | 1,584 | Hall County | 50.2 | moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 134 | 1,592 | Dade County | 49.9 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 135 | 1,623 | Pike County | 49.3 | moderate-low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 136 | 1,653 | Cobb County | 48.8 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 137 | 1,657 | Lumpkin County | 48.7 | moderate-low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 138 | 1,658 | Monroe County | 48.7 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 139 | 1,706 | Rabun County | 47.9 | moderate-low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 140 | 1,747 | Greene County | 47.3 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 141 | 1,814 | Effingham County | 46.0 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 142 | 1,817 | Morgan County | 46.0 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 143 | 1,818 | Coweta County | 46.0 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 144 | 1,856 | Banks County | 45.5 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 145 | 1,858 | Fannin County | 45.4 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 146 | 1,899 | White County | 44.6 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 147 | 1,948 | Towns County | 43.8 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 148 | 1,973 | Fayette County | 43.3 | moderate-low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 149 | 2,003 | Habersham County | 42.7 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 150 | 2,074 | Gilmer County | 41.3 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 151 | 2,075 | Jackson County | 41.2 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 152 | 2,146 | Dawson County | 39.9 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 153 | 2,180 | Bryan County | 39.4 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 154 | 2,182 | Union County | 39.3 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 155 | 2,357 | Columbia County | 35.8 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 156 | 2,366 | Harris County | 35.6 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 157 | 2,375 | Cherokee County | 35.4 | low-moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 158 | 3,000 | Forsyth County | 19.3 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 159 | 3,126 | Oconee County | 11.1 | very 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, and the composite is the mean of those domain scores. Higher scores indicate greater household financial distress.
extreme county distress — 1 Georgia county
very high county distress — 18 Georgia counties
high county distress — 41 Georgia counties
moderate-high county distress — 52 Georgia counties
moderate county distress — 21 Georgia counties
moderate-low county distress — 18 Georgia counties
low-moderate county distress — 6 Georgia counties
low county distress — 0 Georgia counties
very low county distress — 2 Georgia counties
exceptionally low county distress — 0 Georgia counties