Aiken County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.2 | 177,130 people · 37th most distressed in South Carolina
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Aiken County, SC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.2 — 1443rd 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 37th of 46 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Aiken County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 66.5 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 66.5
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 86
Student Loan Delinquency 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46
Community Vulnerability 52.8
Uninsured Rate 56
Disability Rate 49
Housing Cost Burden 52.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Employment & Wages 48.3
Unemployment Rate 82
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Business Formation Rate 23
Income & Poverty 41.1
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Aiken County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Aiken County
Aiken County, SC 52.2 Elevated —
Richmond County, GA 78.6 Serious +26.4
Barnwell County, SC 74.9 Serious +22.8
Burke County, GA 66.2 Serious +14.0
Orangeburg County, SC 65.4 Serious +13.2
Saluda County, SC 62.6 Elevated +10.4
Edgefield County, SC 59.1 Elevated +6.9
Lexington County, SC 46.0 Normal -6.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Aiken County
Cambria County, PA 52.2 Elevated 0.0
Pike County, PA 52.2 Elevated -0.0
Ellis County, TX 52.1 Elevated -0.0
Lawrence County, PA 52.3 Elevated +0.1
Bartow County, GA 52.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Aiken 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 Aiken 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Aiken County, South Carolina?

    Aiken County has a County Distress Index score of 52.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,443rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Aiken County?

    The primary driver of distress in Aiken County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 66.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Aiken County compare to neighboring counties?

    Aiken County (52.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Richmond County, GA (78.6); Barnwell County, SC (74.9); Burke County, GA (66.2).

  • 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 Aiken County?

    Aiken County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 177,130 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.