Oconee County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.3 | 81,221 people · 40th most distressed in South Carolina
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Oconee County, SC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.3 — 1722nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within South Carolina, it ranks 40th of 46 counties. It scores lower than all 10 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Oconee County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 68.6 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 68.6
Uninsured Rate 67
Disability Rate 70
Income & Poverty 46.8
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 61
Housing Cost Burden 43.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 69
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10
Debt & Delinquency 41.6
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 33
Student Loan Delinquency 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8
Employment & Wages 41.1
Unemployment Rate 78
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 7
Business Formation Rate 38

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Oconee County compares to its 10 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Oconee County
Oconee County, SC 48.3 Normal —
Stephens County, GA 67.1 Serious +18.8
Franklin County, GA 60.1 Elevated +11.8
Pickens County, SC 59.8 Elevated +11.5
Hart County, GA 59.7 Elevated +11.3
Jackson County, NC 54.7 Elevated +6.4
Anderson County, SC 53.6 Elevated +5.3
Macon County, NC 52.9 Elevated +4.6
Rabun County, GA 52.8 Elevated +4.5
Transylvania County, NC 50.8 Elevated +2.5
Habersham County, GA 49.4 Normal +1.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Oconee County
Portage County, OH 48.3 Normal -0.0
Daviess County, KY 48.4 Normal +0.0
Warren County, NY 48.4 Normal +0.0
Bannock County, ID 48.4 Normal +0.1
Kenosha County, WI 48.3 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Oconee 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 Oconee 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Oconee County has a County Distress Index score of 48.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,722nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Oconee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Oconee County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 68.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Oconee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Oconee County (48.3) can be compared to its 10 neighboring counties: Stephens County, GA (67.1); Franklin County, GA (60.1); Pickens County, SC (59.8).

  • 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 Oconee County?

    Oconee County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 81,221 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.