Greenville County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.1 | 558,036 people · 45th most distressed in South Carolina
American Default Research

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Greenville County, SC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.1 — 1979th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within South Carolina, it ranks 45th of 46 counties. It scores lower than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Greenville County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 65.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 65.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 76
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Debt & Delinquency 49.5
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 39
Student Loan Delinquency 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15
Employment & Wages 42.9
Unemployment Rate 67
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 8
Community Vulnerability 42.7
Uninsured Rate 66
Disability Rate 20
Income & Poverty 24.7
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Greenville County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Greenville County
Greenville County, SC 45.1 Normal —
Laurens County, SC 64.4 Elevated +19.3
Pickens County, SC 59.8 Elevated +14.7
Abbeville County, SC 54.3 Elevated +9.2
Spartanburg County, SC 54.1 Elevated +9.0
Anderson County, SC 53.6 Elevated +8.5
Transylvania County, NC 50.8 Elevated +5.7
Polk County, NC 49.1 Normal +4.0
Henderson County, NC 46.6 Normal +1.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Greenville County
Cobb County, GA 45.0 Normal -0.1
Gloucester County, NJ 45.0 Normal -0.1
Chesapeake city, VA 45.2 Normal +0.1
Rutherford County, TN 45.3 Normal +0.2
Brazoria County, TX 44.9 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Greenville County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Greenville County.

GREENVILLE COUNTY HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION
Greenville
864-467-7095 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in South Carolina →

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 Greenville 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in South Carolina →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Greenville County has a County Distress Index score of 45.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,979th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Greenville County?

    The primary driver of distress in Greenville County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 65.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Greenville County compare to neighboring counties?

    Greenville County (45.1) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Laurens County, SC (64.4); Pickens County, SC (59.8); Abbeville County, SC (54.3).

  • 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 Greenville County?

    Greenville County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 558,036 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.