Abbeville County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.3 | 24,434 people · 32nd most distressed in South Carolina
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Abbeville County, SC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.3 — 1258th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within South Carolina, it ranks 32nd of 46 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. Abbeville County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 71.8 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 71.8
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 74
Student Loan Delinquency 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 80
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9
Income & Poverty 69.3
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 75
Child Poverty Rate 70
Employment & Wages 49.4
Unemployment Rate 86
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Business Formation Rate 42
Community Vulnerability 47.6
Uninsured Rate 69
Disability Rate 26
Housing Cost Burden 33.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 33
Homeownership Rate 35
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Abbeville County
Abbeville County, SC 54.3 Elevated —
Elbert County, GA 69.8 Serious +15.5
Laurens County, SC 64.4 Elevated +10.1
Greenwood County, SC 55.1 Elevated +0.8
Anderson County, SC 53.6 Elevated -0.8
McCormick County, SC 51.4 Elevated -3.0
Greenville County, SC 45.1 Normal -9.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Abbeville County
Winston County, AL 54.3 Elevated -0.0
Madison County, AR 54.4 Elevated +0.0
Bollinger County, MO 54.3 Elevated -0.0
Starke County, IN 54.3 Elevated -0.0
Montgomery County, NC 54.3 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Abbeville County

Find an Attorney

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 803-799-7100

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Abbeville County residents at no cost.

SC Legal Services (Palmetto Legal Services / Greater Columbia Community Relations Council) 1-888-346-5592
Upstate Legal Services 864-679-3232
Pro Bono Legal Services — SC Bar 803-799-6653
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services 843-853-3304
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (888) 346-5592

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 Abbeville County, South Carolina?

    Abbeville County has a County Distress Index score of 54.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,258th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Abbeville County?

    The primary driver of distress in Abbeville 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 Abbeville County compare to neighboring counties?

    Abbeville County (54.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Elbert County, GA (69.8); Laurens County, SC (64.4); Greenwood County, SC (55.1).

  • 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 Abbeville County?

    Abbeville County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 24,434 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.