Whitfield County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.3 | 103,687 people · 113th most distressed in Georgia
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Whitfield County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.3 — 1125th 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 113th 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. Whitfield County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 76.2 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 76.2
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 89
Student Loan Delinquency 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 55
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Housing Cost Burden 54.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 53
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 49
Homeownership Rate 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Community Vulnerability 53.1
Uninsured Rate 93
Disability Rate 13
Income & Poverty 52.3
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 70
Employment & Wages 44.9
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Whitfield County
Whitfield County, GA 56.3 Elevated —
Walker County, GA 70.1 Serious +13.9
Bradley County, TN 62.0 Elevated +5.8
Murray County, GA 56.6 Elevated +0.4
Catoosa County, GA 53.7 Elevated -2.6
Hamilton County, TN 51.7 Elevated -4.5
Gordon County, GA 49.0 Normal -7.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Whitfield County
Indian River County, FL 56.2 Elevated -0.0
Bedford County, TN 56.2 Elevated -0.1
Charlotte County, FL 56.2 Elevated -0.1
Harrisonburg city, VA 56.1 Elevated -0.1
DeKalb County, AL 56.1 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Whitfield County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Whitfield County.

DALTON-WHITFIELD COMMUNITY DEV. CORP.
Dalton
706-529-8270 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in Georgia →

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 Whitfield 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

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Whitfield County, Georgia?

    Whitfield County has a County Distress Index score of 56.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,125th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 113th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Whitfield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Whitfield County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 76.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Whitfield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Whitfield County (56.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Walker County, GA (70.1); Bradley County, TN (62.0); Murray County, GA (56.6).

  • 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 Whitfield County?

    Whitfield County, Georgia has a population of approximately 103,687 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.