Appling County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.3 | 18,457 people · 125th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Appling County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.3 — 818th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Georgia, it ranks 125th of 159 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Appling County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 80.6 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 80.6
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 61
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 89
Legal Distress 76.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Structural Poverty 66.5
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 39
Transfer Income Dependency 58
Economic Vitality 31.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 28.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 63

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Appling County
Appling County, GA 62.3 Elevated —
Wayne County, GA 74.5 Serious +12.3
Toombs County, GA 69.7 Serious +7.4
Bacon County, GA 68.1 Serious +5.8
Tattnall County, GA 66.2 Serious +4.0
Pierce County, GA 64.7 Elevated +2.4
Jeff Davis County, GA 63.9 Elevated +1.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Appling County
Randolph County, AR 62.3 Elevated +0.0
Unicoi County, TN 62.3 Elevated +0.0
Del Norte County, CA 62.3 Elevated +0.1
Hart County, GA 62.4 Elevated +0.1
Oglala Lakota County, SD 62.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Appling County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Appling County residents at no cost.

Atlanta Legal Aid Society 404-524-5811
Georgia Legal Services Program 1-888-257-4567
Georgia Legal Aid
State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Self-Help Resources

Georgia Legal Aid — Housing Self-help guides for Georgia foreclosure process, rights, and defenses
DCA Georgia HAF Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

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 Appling County, Georgia?

    Appling County has a County Distress Index score of 62.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 818th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 125th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Appling County?

    The primary driver of distress in Appling County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 80.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Appling County compare to neighboring counties?

    Appling County (62.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wayne County, GA (74.5); Toombs County, GA (69.7); Bacon County, GA (68.1).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Appling County's score of 62.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Appling County's CDI score?

    Appling County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Appling County?

    Appling County, Georgia has a population of approximately 18,457 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.