Bartow County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.4 | 115,041 people · 97th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Bartow County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.4 — 526th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Georgia, it ranks 97th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bartow County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 88.2 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 88.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Consumer Credit Distress 78.9
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 63
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 87
Subprime Credit Population 81
Economic Vitality 76.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 69
Housing Cost Burden 61.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 82
Homeownership Rate 53
Structural Poverty 19.4
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 18
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 27
Disability Rate 19
Transfer Income Dependency 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bartow County
Bartow County, GA 67.4 Serious —
Polk County, GA 80.3 Crisis +12.9
Floyd County, GA 77.0 Serious +9.7
Paulding County, GA 63.4 Elevated -4.0
Gordon County, GA 62.3 Elevated -5.0
Cobb County, GA 61.0 Elevated -6.4
Pickens County, GA 57.8 Elevated -9.6
Cherokee County, GA 47.3 Normal -20.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bartow County
Laurel County, KY 67.3 Serious -0.0
Lowndes County, MS 67.3 Serious -0.0
Dorchester County, SC 67.4 Serious +0.0
Glynn County, GA 67.2 Serious -0.2
DeSoto County, MS 67.1 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bartow 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 Bartow 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 Bartow County, Georgia?

    Bartow County has a County Distress Index score of 67.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 526th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 97th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bartow County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bartow County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 88.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bartow County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bartow County (67.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Polk County, GA (80.3); Floyd County, GA (77.0); Paulding County, GA (63.4).

  • 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 Serious 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). Bartow County's score of 67.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Bartow 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 Bartow County?

    Bartow County, Georgia has a population of approximately 115,041 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.