Oglethorpe County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.1 | 15,754 people · 122nd most distressed in Georgia
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Oglethorpe County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.1 — 1363rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Georgia, it ranks 122nd 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. Oglethorpe County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 71.8 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 71.8
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 72
Student Loan Delinquency 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Community Vulnerability 62.4
Uninsured Rate 78
Disability Rate 47
Housing Cost Burden 51.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 46
Homeownership Rate 12
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Income & Poverty 40.4
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 60
Employment & Wages 40.2
Unemployment Rate 10
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Oglethorpe County
Oglethorpe County, GA 53.1 Elevated —
Elbert County, GA 69.8 Serious +16.6
Taliaferro County, GA 68.9 Serious +15.7
Wilkes County, GA 64.8 Elevated +11.7
Clarke County, GA 64.6 Elevated +11.5
Madison County, GA 57.9 Elevated +4.8
Greene County, GA 45.3 Normal -7.9
Oconee County, GA 18.3 Healthy -34.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Oglethorpe County
Cortland County, NY 53.2 Elevated +0.0
Pecos County, TX 53.2 Elevated +0.0
Jackson County, WV 53.1 Elevated -0.0
Upshur County, WV 53.2 Elevated +0.0
Cherokee County, KS 53.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Oglethorpe 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 Oglethorpe 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 Oglethorpe County, Georgia?

    Oglethorpe County has a County Distress Index score of 53.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,363rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 122nd in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Oglethorpe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Oglethorpe County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 71.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Oglethorpe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Oglethorpe County (53.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Elbert County, GA (69.8); Taliaferro County, GA (68.9); Wilkes County, GA (64.8).

  • 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 Oglethorpe County?

    Oglethorpe County, Georgia has a population of approximately 15,754 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.