Washington County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.5 | 19,820 people · 26th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Washington County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.5 — 189th 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 26th of 159 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Washington County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 87.8 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 87.8
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 86
Student Loan Delinquency 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Income & Poverty 85.4
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 76
Child Poverty Rate 90
Community Vulnerability 72.8
Uninsured Rate 83
Disability Rate 62
Housing Cost Burden 71.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 80
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Employment & Wages 35.1
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 42
Business Formation Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Washington County, GA 70.5 Serious —
Hancock County, GA 77.5 Serious +7.1
Baldwin County, GA 73.3 Serious +2.9
Jefferson County, GA 67.7 Serious -2.8
Johnson County, GA 64.2 Elevated -6.3
Wilkinson County, GA 62.4 Elevated -8.1
Glascock County, GA 58.3 Elevated -12.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Washington County
Panola County, MS 70.4 Serious -0.1
Morris County, TX 70.3 Serious -0.1
Emanuel County, GA 70.3 Serious -0.1
McDuffie County, GA 70.3 Serious -0.1
Atoka County, OK 70.6 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County, Georgia?

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 70.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 189th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 87.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Washington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Washington County (70.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hancock County, GA (77.5); Baldwin County, GA (73.3); Jefferson County, GA (67.7).

  • 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 Washington County?

    Washington County, Georgia has a population of approximately 19,820 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.