Cherokee County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.8 | 286,602 people · 155th most distressed in Georgia
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Cherokee County, GA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.8 — 2491st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Georgia, it ranks 155th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Cherokee County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 68.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 68.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 33
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Debt & Delinquency 40.0
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 49
Student Loan Delinquency 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 30
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Community Vulnerability 39.4
Uninsured Rate 70
Disability Rate 9
Employment & Wages 38.9
Unemployment Rate 13
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 97
Business Formation Rate 7
Income & Poverty 2.3
Poverty Rate 3
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 3

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Cherokee County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Cherokee County
Cherokee County, GA 37.8 Normal —
Pickens County, GA 52.7 Elevated +14.9
Bartow County, GA 52.3 Elevated +14.5
Fulton County, GA 49.5 Normal +11.7
Gordon County, GA 49.0 Normal +11.2
Cobb County, GA 45.0 Normal +7.2
Dawson County, GA 43.0 Normal +5.2
Forsyth County, GA 24.8 Healthy -13.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Cherokee County
Honolulu County, HI 37.9 Normal +0.1
Kent County, MI 37.7 Normal -0.1
Hillsborough County, NH 38.1 Normal +0.3
Chesterfield County, VA 38.1 Normal +0.3
Clay County, MO 38.1 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cherokee County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Cherokee County.

HORIZON COUNSELING INC.
Woodstock
888-315-4326 Website
Reverse Mortgage

See all counselors in Georgia →

Find an Attorney

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

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Cherokee County residents at no cost.

Atlanta Legal Aid Society 404-524-5811
Georgia Legal Services Program 1-888-257-4567
Georgia Legal Aid
State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Self-Help Resources

Georgia Legal Aid — Housing Self-help guides for Georgia foreclosure process, rights, and defenses
DCA Georgia HAF Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

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 Cherokee County, Georgia?

    Cherokee County has a County Distress Index score of 37.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,491st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 155th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cherokee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cherokee County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 68.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cherokee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cherokee County (37.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Pickens County, GA (52.7); Bartow County, GA (52.3); Fulton County, GA (49.5).

  • 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 Cherokee County?

    Cherokee County, Georgia has a population of approximately 286,602 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.