Edgefield County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.1 | 27,607 people · 27th most distressed in South Carolina
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Edgefield County, SC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.1 — 899th 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 27th of 46 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Edgefield County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 70.2 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 70.2
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 92
Student Loan Delinquency 62
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Employment & Wages 59.4
Unemployment Rate 74
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 29
Income & Poverty 57.5
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 30
Child Poverty Rate 71
Community Vulnerability 57.5
Uninsured Rate 70
Disability Rate 45
Housing Cost Burden 50.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Edgefield County
Edgefield County, SC 59.1 Elevated —
Richmond County, GA 78.6 Serious +19.5
Saluda County, SC 62.6 Elevated +3.5
Greenwood County, SC 55.1 Elevated -4.0
Aiken County, SC 52.2 Elevated -6.9
McCormick County, SC 51.4 Elevated -7.8
Columbia County, GA 37.3 Normal -21.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Edgefield County
Barton County, MO 59.1 Elevated 0.0
Monroe County, AL 59.1 Elevated +0.0
Laclede County, MO 59.1 Elevated -0.0
Milam County, TX 59.1 Elevated -0.0
Randolph County, WV 59.1 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Edgefield 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 Edgefield 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 Edgefield County, South Carolina?

    Edgefield County has a County Distress Index score of 59.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 899th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Edgefield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Edgefield County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 70.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Edgefield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Edgefield County (59.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Richmond County, GA (78.6); Saluda County, SC (62.6); 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 Edgefield County?

    Edgefield County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 27,607 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.