Rabun County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.8 | 17,442 people · 126th most distressed in Georgia
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Rabun County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.8 — 1390th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within Georgia, it ranks 126th of 159 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Rabun County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 74.9 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 74.9
Uninsured Rate 84
Disability Rate 66
Housing Cost Burden 50.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 29
Homeownership Rate 33
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Income & Poverty 48.5
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 71
Debt & Delinquency 48.3
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 66
Student Loan Delinquency 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13
Employment & Wages 41.9
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Rabun County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Rabun County
Rabun County, GA 52.8 Elevated —
Clay County, NC 57.5 Elevated +4.7
Jackson County, NC 54.7 Elevated +1.9
Macon County, NC 52.9 Elevated +0.1
Towns County, GA 50.9 Elevated -1.9
Habersham County, GA 49.4 Normal -3.4
Oconee County, SC 48.3 Normal -4.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Rabun County
Franklin County, ME 52.8 Elevated +0.0
Randolph County, AL 52.9 Elevated +0.1
Covington County, MS 52.9 Elevated +0.1
Pickens County, GA 52.7 Elevated -0.1
Macon County, NC 52.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rabun 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 Rabun 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 Rabun County, Georgia?

    Rabun County has a County Distress Index score of 52.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,390th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 126th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rabun County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rabun County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 74.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Rabun County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rabun County (52.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clay County, NC (57.5); Jackson County, NC (54.7); Macon County, NC (52.9).

  • 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 Rabun County?

    Rabun County, Georgia has a population of approximately 17,442 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.