Bleckley County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.6 | 12,465 people · 71st most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Bleckley County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.6 — 331st 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 71st of 159 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bleckley County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 82.5 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 82.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Consumer Credit Distress 79.3
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 93
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 80
Housing Cost Burden 67.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 6
Homeownership Rate 56
Structural Poverty 62.0
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 71
Economic Vitality 48.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bleckley County
Bleckley County, GA 71.6 Serious —
Pulaski County, GA 75.5 Serious +3.9
Laurens County, GA 74.8 Serious +3.2
Dodge County, GA 74.0 Serious +2.4
Wilkinson County, GA 73.0 Serious +1.4
Houston County, GA 68.6 Serious -3.0
Twiggs County, GA 67.6 Serious -4.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bleckley County
Howard County, AR 71.6 Serious +0.0
Tallahatchie County, MS 71.6 Serious +0.0
Bienville Parish, LA 71.6 Serious +0.0
Leake County, MS 71.5 Serious -0.1
Ottawa County, OK 71.5 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bleckley 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 Bleckley 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 Bleckley County, Georgia?

    Bleckley County has a County Distress Index score of 71.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 331st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 71st in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bleckley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bleckley County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 82.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bleckley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bleckley County (71.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pulaski County, GA (75.5); Laurens County, GA (74.8); Dodge County, GA (74.0).

  • 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). Bleckley County's score of 71.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Bleckley 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 Bleckley County?

    Bleckley County, Georgia has a population of approximately 12,465 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.