Ben Hill County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 77.3 | 17,128 people · 36th most distressed in Georgia
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Ben Hill County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 77.3 — 120th 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 36th of 159 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ben Hill County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 94.8
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 75.8
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 18
Transfer Income Dependency 84
Economic Vitality 63.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 40.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 93

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ben Hill County
Ben Hill County, GA 77.3 Serious —
Telfair County, GA 77.3 Serious -0.1
Turner County, GA 72.0 Serious -5.4
Coffee County, GA 71.1 Serious -6.2
Irwin County, GA 68.8 Serious -8.5
Wilcox County, GA 67.6 Serious -9.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ben Hill County
Pike County, MS 77.3 Serious -0.0
Barnwell County, SC 77.4 Serious +0.0
Telfair County, GA 77.3 Serious -0.1
Anson County, NC 77.5 Serious +0.1
Natchitoches Parish, LA 77.5 Serious +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Ben Hill County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Ben Hill 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 Ben Hill 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 Ben Hill County, Georgia?

    Ben Hill County has a County Distress Index score of 77.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 120th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ben Hill County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ben Hill County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Ben Hill County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ben Hill County (77.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Telfair County, GA (77.3); Turner County, GA (72.0); Coffee County, GA (71.1).

  • 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 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). Ben Hill County's score of 77.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Ben Hill County's CDI score?

    Ben Hill 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 Ben Hill County?

    Ben Hill County, Georgia has a population of approximately 17,128 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.