Dawson County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.0 | 31,732 people · 148th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Dawson County, GA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.0 — 2147th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Georgia, it ranks 148th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Dawson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 57.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 57.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Debt & Delinquency 55.5
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 73
Student Loan Delinquency 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 34
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Community Vulnerability 52.7
Uninsured Rate 82
Disability Rate 24
Employment & Wages 40.0
Unemployment Rate 10
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 100
Business Formation Rate 10
Income & Poverty 8.9
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 2
Child Poverty Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Dawson County
Dawson County, GA 43.0 Normal —
Pickens County, GA 52.7 Elevated +9.8
Fannin County, GA 52.4 Elevated +9.4
Gilmer County, GA 50.9 Elevated +7.9
Lumpkin County, GA 50.1 Elevated +7.1
Hall County, GA 49.3 Normal +6.3
Cherokee County, GA 37.8 Normal -5.2
Forsyth County, GA 24.8 Healthy -18.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Dawson County
Box Butte County, NE 42.9 Normal -0.0
Ellis County, KS 43.0 Normal +0.1
St. James Parish, LA 43.0 Normal +0.1
Green Lake County, WI 43.1 Normal +0.1
Nobles County, MN 43.2 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dawson County

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 Dawson 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Dawson County, Georgia?

    Dawson County has a County Distress Index score of 43.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,147th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 148th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dawson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dawson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 57.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Dawson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dawson County (43.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Pickens County, GA (52.7); Fannin County, GA (52.4); Gilmer County, GA (50.9).

  • 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 Dawson County?

    Dawson County, Georgia has a population of approximately 31,732 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.