Forsyth County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Healthy · 24.8 | 272,887 people · 158th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Forsyth County, GA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 24.8 — 3039th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Georgia, it ranks 158th of 159 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Forsyth County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 44.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 44.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 3
Rent-to-Income Ratio 6
Employment & Wages 33.9
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 4
Community Vulnerability 24.8
Uninsured Rate 48
Disability Rate 1
Debt & Delinquency 20.2
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 37
Student Loan Delinquency 13
Auto Loan Delinquency 13
Credit Card Delinquency 15
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37
Income & Poverty 0.6
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 0
Child Poverty Rate 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Forsyth County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Forsyth County
Forsyth County, GA 24.8 Healthy —
Gwinnett County, GA 52.8 Elevated +28.0
Fulton County, GA 49.5 Normal +24.7
Hall County, GA 49.3 Normal +24.5
Dawson County, GA 43.0 Normal +18.2
Cherokee County, GA 37.8 Normal +13.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Forsyth County
Chester County, PA 23.8 Healthy -1.0
Howard County, MD 26.1 Healthy +1.3
Douglas County, CO 23.2 Healthy -1.5
Morris County, NJ 26.4 Healthy +1.7
Loudoun County, VA 22.8 Healthy -1.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Forsyth 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 Forsyth 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 Forsyth County, Georgia?

    Forsyth County has a County Distress Index score of 24.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,039th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 158th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Forsyth County?

    The primary driver of distress in Forsyth County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 44.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Forsyth County compare to neighboring counties?

    Forsyth County (24.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Gwinnett County, GA (52.8); Fulton County, GA (49.5); Hall County, GA (49.3).

  • 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 Forsyth County?

    Forsyth County, Georgia has a population of approximately 272,887 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.