Union County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.7 | 27,124 people · 143rd most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Union County, GA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.7 — 1919th 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 143rd of 159 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Union County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 82.9 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 82.9
Uninsured Rate 80
Disability Rate 86
Debt & Delinquency 42.8
Debt in Collections 39
Medical Debt 67
Student Loan Delinquency 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 10
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Employment & Wages 36.6
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 26
Housing Cost Burden 33.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 52
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 8
Rent-to-Income Ratio 20
Income & Poverty 32.9
Poverty Rate 26
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Union County
Union County, GA 45.7 Normal —
Clay County, NC 57.5 Elevated +11.8
Cherokee County, NC 56.3 Elevated +10.6
Fannin County, GA 52.4 Elevated +6.6
Towns County, GA 50.9 Elevated +5.1
Lumpkin County, GA 50.1 Elevated +4.4
White County, GA 49.0 Normal +3.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Union County
Harrison County, KY 45.7 Normal -0.0
Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK 45.8 Normal +0.0
Marquette County, WI 45.7 Normal -0.1
Juniata County, PA 45.9 Normal +0.1
Plaquemines Parish, LA 45.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Union 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 Union 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 Union County, Georgia?

    Union County has a County Distress Index score of 45.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,919th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 143rd in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Union County?

    The primary driver of distress in Union County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 82.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Union County compare to neighboring counties?

    Union County (45.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clay County, NC (57.5); Cherokee County, NC (56.3); Fannin County, GA (52.4).

  • 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 Union County?

    Union County, Georgia has a population of approximately 27,124 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.